


The Short List

by BookerOfWit



Category: Zootopia (2016)
Genre: Arson, Assassination, Crimes & Criminals, Gen, Investigations, Police
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-05-17
Updated: 2017-06-24
Packaged: 2018-06-09 02:14:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 24,896
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6885091
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BookerOfWit/pseuds/BookerOfWit
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After a major hotel is burnt down in Zootopia, Officer Judy Hopps is placed in charge of investigation. Together with her partner, Nick Wilde, they attempt to find the perpetrator responsible for the fire. But as their investigation deepens they begin to suspect that they aren't dealing with a standard arsonist and the entire ZPD is thrown into disarray as a citywide mammalhunt begins.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Fire

‘Nick, come on, keep up with me!’ Judy raced across the green, feet hitting hard on the earth beneath. She turned to look back at her partner, now stumbling as he desperately struggled to keep up; he waved his arm dismissively.

‘Go on without me, Carrots, I’ll be right…’ Nick stopped, paws resting on his thighs as he struggled to regain his breath. His body ached, each laboured breath bringing a stabbing pain in his ribs. He gave a grim smile and a nod, only able to watch as Judy returned the gesture before sprinting onwards. ‘Well, maybe not _right_ behind you.’

Judy gritted her teeth, ignoring the burning in her legs as her muscles strained to hold her pace. She could just make out her target now, silhouetted against the evening sky. Her focus shifted to the rifle in front of them, its stock nestled neatly in the crook of their shoulder, the long, sleek barrel supported by a bipod as it stretched over the hill’s summit. She surged onwards, large ears twitching behind her as a voice echoed across the green.

‘ _...Belief that real and lasting prosperity must be built by all and shared…’_ The wind changed direction and the speech became an incoherent mess of sound, the amplifiers unable to compete with the air whipping through her ears. She was close now, close enough to make out their features, see their finger ready on the trigger. She made a move for her taser but stopped abruptly; she wouldn't be able to get in range, and even if she did, the ensuing shock could force them to squeeze the trigger.

She hesitated, glancing back. Nick was no longer in sight, not able to offer an affirming nod as she pulled out her handgun. She assessed the distance. They were what, forty, forty-five metres away? She'd never make a shot like that, maybe at a range but this was a high stakes game, a miss would mean death. She pulled the hammer back, heart pounding in her throat as she took aim.

 _BANG_

* * *

‘You know, I’m starting to think you bring me to these places just to make me uncomfortable,’ Judy whispered, glancing around nervously at the entourage of unfriendly faces. This was not the sort of bar she’d have chosen, and certainly not one that seemed particularly hospitable to officers of the law.

‘ _Relax_ , Fluff. I happen to know the owner of this joint,’ Nick grinned. ‘But I will admit, seeing you squirm is an added bonus.’ He turned to the bartender, two digits raised. ‘Eyyy Suzie! Two whiskeys, neat.’ The badger grunted, grabbing a bottle and a couple of glasses.

‘Oh, actually, could I get some carrot ju-’

Nick grabbed her arm, leaning close as he muttered, ‘Trust me, Hopps, you don't wanna be drinking anything here that's not alcoholic enough to kill bacteria.’

‘Well, I’m not planning on walking home from here.’

‘Nah come on, we've got trams.’ He took his drink, shifting on his chair as he reached for his wallet. ‘`Sides, worst comes to worst you could always crash at my place.’

Judy paused, mulling it over. Sleeping on Nick’s couch was not an experience she’d like to repeat and the nearest stop was at least a 15 minute walk away, but if she was going to spend the next few hours in this dive bar alcohol might at least make the experience more bearable.

‘Well, as long as you're paying.’ She reluctantly nodded acquiescence to Suzie, a tight smile across her lips as the barmaid poured out her drink. Taking the glass, she made a mental note to check the tram timetable, watching as Nick placed his money on the counter. There was an awkward silence as they both inspected their drinks, struggling not to focus on their glasses, stained with many fingerprints and lipstick marks.

Judy wrinkled her nose as she swirled the brown liquid. It _seemed_ safe enough. "So Nick, when you said the whole department was..." She paused when she noticed him peering back at the door. A pretty vixen in a black outfit had just stepped inside; large, amber eyes glancing around as she removed her coat. Judy looked back to Nick. His expression hadn't changed a bit. He probably hadn't even blinked. She scowled as the truth hit. ‘So when you said the whole department was going out for drinks, you meant _you_ were going out for drinks and needed a wingman.’

Nick stretched his arms casually, one eye closed as he begrudgingly returned his attention to the rabbit. ‘C'mon Carrots, it's Friday night, everyone's out having fun. I know if I didn't drag you somewhere you'd only be working or at home… working.'

'So you're my babysitter now?'

Nick smiled broadly, ‘I prefer the term nanny, but sure, we can work with that.'

Judy huffed and rolled her eyes, her gaze roaming across the various bottles behind the bar before eventually fixing on the television screen.

Nick continued, undeterred by her lack of focus. ‘You're just such a workaholic Hopps, I mean I-'

'Shhhh.'

'No, I mean it, it's okay to take a break ev-'

'Nick, shut up.'

'I'm only saying this becau-' Judy clamped a paw to his muzzle, forcing it shut as she leant across the bar.

'Excuse me,' Judy smiled sweetly at the barkeep, giving a small wave. ‘Suzie, is it? Would you mind turning that up?' She pointed to the set, nodding her thanks as the badger jammed her podgy finger against the button. Nick extricated himself from her grip, swivelling round, his ears pricked as the set faded in.

_'...horror as a fire broke out in the Albatross Hotel on Mane Square. Firefighters are working hard to tackle the blaze, and no casualties have yet been reported. Tom Llamas is our live correspondent at the scene.'_

Judy gaped at the screen, violet eyes widening as she drank in the shots of the inferno. Nick gave a low whistle, eyebrows raised as he turned back to face his partner. ‘Well, let's hope they've got good insurance.'

She jumped up from her barstool, pulling Nick unwillingly to his feet as she made for the exit. ‘That's our cue.'

'Hopps, we're off duty!' He protested, heels digging into the lacquered floor as he resisted her determined tugging. ‘The firefighters seem to have a pretty good han…' He winced at the sound of an explosion from the TV, padded feet starting to slip as the rabbit's unrelenting pull slowly inched him closer to the door. Twisting round, he gazed longingly at the two drinks sat on the bar, and Suzie with a smug grin plastered across her face as she began pouring them back in the bottle.

'But… but I already paid…' He finally gave in, allowing the rabbit to pull him the rest of the way to the car. 'You know, Carrots,' he said as he climbed into the passenger seat. 'If we'd gotten here that much earlier, neither of us would be able to drive, and my night would've been a whole lot better.' He made a small gap between his thumb and forefinger, holding it aggressively before the bunny. 'That much.'

Judy gave him a patronising pat as she started the engine. 'I know, and such a shame. I bet you had to wait weeks to get a seat at that place.’ She reached forward, picking up the crackling police radio before holding it out for the fox. ‘Now, will you do the honours or shall I?'

Nick took it begrudgingly, unable to stop himself as the corners of his lips curled into a grin. 'Are you kidding me? This is the best part.' He took the radio, holding it close to his mouth, tone taking on a mocking professionalism. 'Officer Wilde and Hopps to dispatch, checking if assistance is required for the 10-' Eyes widening in panic, he looked to Judy for guidance.

'Ssssss?' she guided.

'Siii...eeventy? Seventy...? Seventy.'

'How can you not have learnt them by now?' Judy hissed.

'Hey, there's a lot of numbers,' he whispered back. 'Besides, I don't need to if you have.'

A voice crackled over the radio. 'Affirmative, Code 2, Officer Trunkaby and McHorn are at the scene and are requesting assistance.'

'Ten-four, We are on our way.' Nick grinned satisfactorily, placing the radio back in its holder. He turned to Judy. 'Code 2, you know what that means.' She sighed as he wiggled his eyebrow, silent as the fox reached forward and flicked on the sirens. 'Oh yeah...'

'It also means semi-life-threatening emergency response so I'd try and look a little more concerned.'

‘ _Semi,'_ Nick reminded, ‘and besides, it's Friday night, everyone will be out partying.’ Judy arched an eyebrow. ‘Except you of course.’

* * *

It wasn’t long before they arrived at the scene, Nick giving an impressed whistle as he stepped out of the squad car. It was a spectacular sight; all ten stories of the hotel now engulfed in flame, plumes of black smoke billowing out into the night sky. A large feature stood defiantly in the middle of the square, water running along the sides of the arched metal wall as it reflected the brilliant orange of the fire.

A voice bellowed from the front of the crowd and their attention shifted to its owner; A large, uniformed rhino stood gesticulating madly at the mass of people; Even from a distance it was obvious he wasn’t having a whole lot of success. Judy and Nick forced their way forward, Judy slipping between the legs of the larger mammals, Nick having less success with that tactic. She reached the rhino, tugging on his trouser leg to grab his attention. ‘McHorn, what do you need?’

The rhino glanced down at the rabbit before scanning the crowd, watching as Nick awkwardly pulled himself free from the throng of mammals, the fox using Judy as a prop to regain his balance. 'Aren’t you two off duty?' McHorn asked.

'We figured we’d put in some overtime,' she replied, pointedly ignoring Nick’s deadpan gaze. 'How can we help?'

The rhino sighed, rubbing his chin as he looked them over. 'Everyone’s been evacuated,' he grunted. 'We just need you to keep these guys back while we set up a perimeter.' He gestured to the growing crowd of onlookers and evacuees, the majority holding up phones and tablets, desperate to get any footage of the blaze. Judy turned, looking up at the burning skeleton of what had once been the hotel. It was clear that even if by some miracle they managed to get the fire under control, the building wasn’t going to be standing for much longer. They nodded to the rhino before making their way to the front of the crowd.

'All right, people, back it up.' Nick said, arms waving in a gentle herding motion. 'We need you all to get clea- Ow!' Nick yelped as his leg struck the back of a very juvenile porcupine, who was knocked to the ground by the unexpected blow. Apologising, he helped the porcupine to his feet. 'You okay, bud?' The toddler shook his head, mouth quivering as he looked up at the fox. 'No?' Nick scanned the crowd, unable to pick out anyone that could be responsible for the porcupette. 'All right then… What’s your name, lil’ fella?'

'S...S-Spike'

'Spike huh? And who’s looking after you, Spike?' The porcupine turned, pointing to the crowd. 'Momma and pappa?' A nod. 'Okay… I’m gonna take you over to Officer Hopps, and she’ll look after you while I find them. That sound okay?' Nick took Spike’s paw, walking towards Judy. He placed his hand on the rabbit’s shoulder. 'Carrots, you mind keeping an eye on junior here while I go on a porcupine hunt?'

Judy pulled a face, mouthing _‘You owe me’_ before breaking into a big smile, squatting to get level with the toddler. 'Hey there little guy, I need you to help me with some very…' Her voice faded as Nick moved away, pushing into the crowd as he sought out the couple. He groaned internally, the words ‘needle in a haystack’ coming to mind as he weaved through the ever growing crowd.

His search couldn’t have taken more than five minutes before he came to a small gap in the otherwise tightly packed throng. Nick squeezed between a caribou and panda to find a bickering porcupine couple behind, the surrounding mammals flashing occasional nervous glances at their quills.

'Excuse me,' Nick gave a wave to the couple. 'Hi. I don’t mean to interrupt, but did you happen to lose a small porcupine, goes by Spike?' The mother turned to Nick, eyes filled with tears as she beamed at him. Nick grinned and winked before nodding towards the front of the mob. ‘This way.’

He made his way back, the parents close behind. ‘He should be right by…’ Nick’s heart sank as he saw Judy, sans porcupine. Everything seemed to slow as he heard McHorn roar; spinning round, he surveyed the square, eyes finally alighting on the toddler.

Spike stood obliviously at the side of the water feature, small hands outstretched, pressed against its cool metal surface.

Nick took off, ignoring the various screams and panicked cries as he raced towards the fountain. He could feel the huge steel frame collapsing, earth shaking beneath his paws as the supports folded in on themselves, metal beams shrieking as they buckled. He kept moving, nearly within reach of the toddler. With a final effort, he lunged forward, tackling the boy and pulling him back against the base of the fountain, shielding the small body with his own. The icy water ran down his back, seeping through his uniform. Nick counted his breaths as he braced himself against the metal, the seconds seeming to stretch out. He managed two, his heart pounding in his ears as an unnerving silence filled the square. There was a soft whooshing noise, dust and debris flying overhead. Then, darkness.


	2. Rum and Cigarettes

Judy woke with a start, almost falling off the side of her chair.

'Well good morning sunshine.' She looked to see Nick sat up in his bed, a large smirk across his muzzle as he gazed at the television screen. She broke into a smile, leaping up from her chair and onto her feet.

'Nick!' She exclaimed, hopping onto the bed, arms wrapping around his torso as she squeezed tightly. A soft hissing noise escaped from between his teeth as he grimaced in pain, twisting his head to face the ceiling. Judy offered a small apologetic smile, her bottom lip starting to wobble as tears welled up in her eyes. 'I’m so sorry Nick, this is all my fault. I should’ve…I wasn’t…I-'

Nick cut her off, gently wrapping his paw around her mouth, holding it shut as the familiar grin spread across his snout. 'It’s okay Fluff, I’m fine. Was Spike all right?' She nodded and he removed his paw, taking his phone from the side of the bed and holding it out to her. 'Check it out, Fuzzfeed’s going nuts for me.' She took it, wiping her eyes with her other paw as she let out short watery laughs, tears still running down her face. 'You should see “Top 5 Nick Wilde moments.” They managed to find a clip of you pinning the badge.' She laughed harder, resting the side of her head against his chest as she to scrolled through the article.

He sighed contentedly, resting a paw on the back of her head his eyes drifting back to the TV screen, snorting quietly as he made yet another appearance in the news. Judy followed his gaze, watching for a few moments before eventually pulling herself upright, her small legs dangling over the side of the bed. She looked on as the screen switched to coverage of the mayoral election and pushed herself to her feet, placing his phone back on the bedside table. 'Been following the election?' she asked, pulling the blinds up.

Nick winced, squeezing his eyes shut against the glare. He shook his head. 'Nah, think I’ve had enough of politics for one lifetime.' He raised an eyebrow at the vixen currently on screen, giving a lopsided grin to the rabbit. 'Though I know who I’m voting for.'

Judy crossed her arms, foot tapping as she regarded Nick, resisting the urge to roll her eyes. 'It’s nice to see you do your research,' she said, leaning back against the hospital wall.

'What?' He looked at her, eyes full of innocence. 'Foxes have got a bad rep, a fox mayor might help us clear our name.'

'A _good_ fox mayor,' she corrected, looking up as the door opened and a deer in a lab coat entered.

The doctor nodded politely at them both before taking the chart hanging from the front of the bed. 'Ah. Mister Wilde, the triumphant hero.' Nick smirked, winking at Judy as the deer riffled through the papers. 'Well, apart from some very impressive bruising and that nasty blow to the back of your head, you appear to be rather miraculously unscathed.' The fox ran his paw up along his neck, feeling the large bump hidden beneath his fur. The doctor smiled once again, replacing the chart.

Nick looked on expectantly, eyebrows raised as he tweaked his snout. 'And?' He prompted, leaning forward in his bed.

'Oh, and you’re free to go whenever you wish. Though I am going to write you a prescription for some painkillers. In about,' the doctor looked at his watch, 'just over an hour’s time the morphine we gave you is going to wear off and you _will_ want them.' He waved his hands in the air in front of him, as if performing a ritual. 'Mr. Nicholas P. Wilde I hereby discharge you from Zootopia hospital. Have a good day.' He turned, nodding again to Judy as he made his way out of the room.

Nick glanced at her with a bemused expression. 'Well then,' he threw off his bed sheets, climbing to his feet, 'let’s get to…' He looked down at the current attire he was sporting, flashing a wry smile at Judy.

She wiggled her eyebrows, smirk faltering as she burst into laughter. 'I’ll give you 30 dollars to stay in that gown all day.' She pulled out her wallet, watching as he folded his arms, the fox mimicking her earlier unimpressed expression as he tapped his foot. 'You sure?' She asked. 'You could get yourself two jumbo pops with that kinda cash.' She snorted as he stuck out his tongue, returning her wallet before pointing to the clothes folded behind him. 'I stopped by yours and picked those up.' She explained. 'Thought there was a _chance_ you might not take me up on my offer.'

He gave a thankful nod before taking the clothes, holding them in his arms as he looked expectantly at the rabbit. 'Well... ' He paused and Judy tilted her head. Nick rolled his eyes before continuing. 'I’m gonna get change-'

Her eyes widened in realisation 'Oh! Right yeah. Of course. You’ll want… Yeah. Sure. Yup.' She blushed as she fumbled with the door handle, quickly stepping out of the hospital room. She groaned at herself, resting her forehead in her paw as the door swung shut behind her.

* * *

Nick rattled the small bottle of pills, sitting contentedly in his passenger seat, pleased to be back in his dark blue shirt and navy trousers. He glanced at Judy, her eyes fixed on the rearview mirror as she backed into the parking space. 'So why are we at the fire department?'

'I managed to pull a few strings, guess who’s now in charge of “The Albatross fire” investigation?'

Nick looked at the rabbit appraisingly, breaking into a grin.'Well as long as you didn’t stake your career on solving it in 48 hours.' Judy pulled out the key, the car falling silent as the engine switched off.

She turned, her head shaking side to side as she mock laughed.'Oh hahaha, that’s so funny! And original.' Nick opened the door, smirking as he gripped the roof of the car and climbed out. He slammed it shut with his foot, Judy locking the car over her shoulder as they entered into the station.

A hyena sat behind the reception desk, looking over her glasses at the two officers. She retained a look of casual disinterest as they walked over, eyes returning to the computer screen as she began typing. 'How can I help?' She continued tapping at her keyboard, doing her best to convey that being helpful was the least of her concerns.

Judy smiled sweetly. ‘Hi, I’m Officer Hopps and this is Officer Wilde. We were wondering if the Sniffers have any information regarding the Albatross Hotel incident?’

The receptionist looked up from her monitor, glancing between them with an expression that bordered on disgust. 'All information on current investigations will be handed over to the appropriate authorities once the investigation has been concluded.' She stated in a practiced monotone.

Nick attempted his least patronising smile.'What a mouthful, bet you wish you had a sign for that, right?' She pointed to the front of the desk. 'Oh, you do. Well then…' He leant forward, scanning the nametag on her blouse. '...Janine. That all sounds very final. I guess all we can do is thank the team here for their hard work with these chocolates.' He turned to his partner as she placed a large tin on the counter.

Judy pulled out her phone, casually scrolling through her apps as she talked. 'I guess I should let everyone here know, I’d hate for someone to miss out. Or,' she placed her phone down on the counter, 'I could let _you_ decide how to share these out. I imagine you know this place pretty well; you know who _really_ deserves them.'

The receptionist paused for a few moments, fingers hovering over the keyboard as she assessed her options. Eventually she snorted, breaking into raucous laughter. She took the tin and prised it open, perusing the small menu as she spoke. 'All right, I'm only telling you this because you'll probably have it by tomorrow anyway. I _may_ have overheard talk of rum and cigarettes.' Janine selected a chocolate and threw it into her mouth, chewing noisily as she swivelled back around to face the monitor.

'That’s it? They think it was an accident?' Judy leant further over the desk but Janine just shrugged and shook her head.

Nick gently placed a paw on the rabbit’s back, nodding to the receptionist. 'Okay, thanks very much for your help.' He span her around, guiding her to the revolving doors as they made their way out of the station.

* * *

Judy pressed her head against the steering wheel. 'Arson with rum?' she asked to no one in particular, sitting back up as she yawned, hands running down her face before holding them over her mouth. She pushed the key into the ignition, looking over to Nick who dug out his little yellow cylinder, wincing slightly as he pulled the seatbelt across his chest. 'Sorry Nick. I’ve dragged you out on what I’d hoped would be an interesting case when you should’ve been taking time off.'

He grinned, popping back a couple of pills before shaking his head. 'Ah, come on Carrots, stop giving yourself so much credit. I mean it’s not like it’s your fault.' He turned, holding his paw in front of his mouth in mock realisation. 'Oh wait…' Judy punched his shoulder, unable to contain a smile as she started the car.

Nick drummed his fingers against his leg 'Well this could’ve just been a drunken mistake,' he mused, ‘or someone could be trying to make it look like an accident.'

Judy reached into her pocket, pulling out her phone and throwing it into the fox’s lap. 'Give Clawhauser a ring, I’ve got a team back at headquarters doing some work for us.'

He looked quizzically at the bunny, fishing for the phone as it slipped between his legs, 'When did you arrange all this?' He asked, claws gripping the edge of the mobile as he pulled it out.

'Last night.' Judy said distractedly, attention focused on the road as she pulled out of the car park. 'Before picking up your clothes.'

'Clever bunny.' He dialled Clawhauser’s number, holding the phone flat in his palm as he activated speaker.

A crackle from the mobile was swiftly followed by the cheetah’s cheery voice. 'Hey Judy! How’s our hero? Everything still in one place? I guess he’ll be off for a couple of weeks now, anything to delay those reports, right?'

Nick flashed a grin to Judy. 'Yeah just about anything.' he replied, smile widening as silence greeted his response.

Judy broke the awkward pause. 'So Clawhauser, we were wondering if you’ve got the details of the proprietor? We need to ask him a few questions.'

'We sure do. Mr. Frank Woodstock. Sending his address over to you now.'

She smiled 'Thanks, is there anything else we should know? Anything we can take to him?’

'Well it was insured for about $30 million, but that’s nothing out of the ordinary. It was doing really well, just starting to turn a profit, passed all inspections.'

'Okay, thanks, call me if you find anything.' The car slowed to a halt as they reached a set of lights and Nick hung up the call. He selected the new notification, pulling up the address of the owner. 'All right, Mr. Woodstock... You’re in the wrong lane Carrots, but if you take a right now...'

* * *

Judy pressed the gate’s intercom button as Nick appraised the house with his discerning eye. It was an impressive work of architecture, shaped to look like an enormous oak tree as it an arched upwards, a huge glass window standing proudly in the centre. The walls were a flawlessly polished bark, no visible signs of the many years of wear they’d suffered through.

There was a buzz from the intercom followed by a gruff voice. 'What?'

Judy rested her hand on the gate as she leant over the speaker. 'Mr. Woodstock? This is Officers Hopps and Wilde from the ZPD. We need to ask you a few questions.' There was silence, then another buzz and the gate slowly opened, the electric contraption whirring as the two sides swung apart.

Four blossoming cherry trees stood either side of the driveway, arching over them as they walked up the gravel path. Nick craned his neck back, admiring the pretty cup-shaped flowers, eyes fixing on a white petal as it slowly drifted to the ground.

'Wouldn’t mind having a place like this.' he said, pressing a clawed thumb into the doorbell as they reached the surprisingly humble entrance, a simple cherry wood door with a small brass handle.

'Get $30 million in insurance and I’m sure you could have ten.' The door opened to reveal a disgruntled beaver waving them inside. Judy did her best not to gawk at the lavish interior. The floor was made of dark mahogany planks, which contrasted sharply with the unblemished white walls and the books filling the ornate alcoves dug into them. He led them through the main hall and she couldn’t help but stare at the huge curved window, the centrepiece a single pane of glass.

The beaver noticed her gaze. 'Enjoying the view?' he asked shortly, 'Took four attempts to get that here.' He led them into the kitchen, wordlessly pouring himself a coffee before turning round to face them. 'Well?' he said, taking a loud slurp from his mug. 'Whaddaya want?' The pair exchanged glances, Nick raising his eyebrows with a smile.

'Well sir,' Judy began, pulling out her notebook, pen poised over paper. 'We’ve got a few routine questions to ask with regards to the incident last night. Where were you last night between 8 and 10 PM?'

'At home.'

'Doing?' Nick prompted.

'Watching TV.'

Judy looked up from her pad. 'And I’m guessing there’s no-one who can verify this?'

'No ‘course not. What is this, an interrogation?'

 _Not yet it’s not._ Nick thought, forcing an overly cheerful smile. Judy, as if reading his mind, flashed him a warning glance, all too aware of his talent for pushing people’s buttons.

She offered a disarming smile at the beaver. 'These are all routine questions sir.' She continued. 'Do you know of anyone that would want to hurt you in any way?'

‘Other than my ex wife?' The beaver harrumphed, his tail hitting the ground impatiently. 'Listen, how long is this going to take? I’m a very busy guy.'

Nick smirked, 'It must be hard work running that burnt down hotel.' Judy rounded on him, purple eyes narrowing with silent fury, Frank quickly mirroring her expression.

'Hey, wiseguy! I’ve gotta get all my soon-to-be-fired employees their severance package., then someone’s gonna have to draft up the costs of rebuilding the damn place, and on top of that I gotta refund every mammal who’d already booked a room. The last thing I need right now is two cops showing up at my door trying to see if I set fire to my own hotel!'

Nick shrugged. 'Well did you?'

'Are you kidding me?' The beaver exploded. 'I’d just started to make a profit! Now I’ve gotta start from the beginning again.'

'Well you do have a $30 million booster package this time.' He noted, idly scratching his snout.

'You think this is an insurance fraud? Listen pal, why would I do it now? It’s spring! Everyone wants a hotel room. Even better, it’s the elections! I had campaign staff filling just about every other room. It’s gonna take at least one, maybe two years to rebuild the place; by the time it’s done I’ll be lucky to break even.'

Nick faced Judy, hands raised in resignation. 'Well, the math checks out. Shall we…?' He span his finger in the air before pointing it to the door.

Judy rolled her eyes, arms folding as she sighed. 'We’ve still got questions to ask.' He groaned, giving her the sullen look of a sulky teenager. A buzz came from her pocket and she apologised, thrusting the pen and notepad into Nick’s paws. 'You can take over.' Lowering her voice, she leant closer. 'Please don’t screw this up.'

She slipped out of the room, closing the door behind her as she stepped back into the large hall. She pulled out her phone, Clawhauser’s exuberant smile greeting her as she answered the call.

'Clawhauser.'

'Hey Judy, we might have found something. It could be nothing, but room 73 was checked out to a Mr. John Doe.'

'You tried to contact him?'

'Mhm! All the contact information he gave was false. Even the card he used to pay for the room’s been cancelled.'

Judy fistpumped silently, allowing herself a victorious smile. 'Good job. Fire report?'

‘Nothing yet.'

'Okay, no problem. Great work, pass that onto the team too.'

'Will-' Judy hung up the phone, running both paws down her face as she breathed in deeply, letting it out in one long controlled breath. She glanced back through the glass door, seeing Mr. Woodstock gesticulating wildly, his voice increasing in volume as Nick looked on with a slight smirk.

She opened the door, popping her head around the wooden frame. 'Are we about done here?'

Nick smiled politely, looking to the beaver and then to Judy. 'I’d say we’ve got everything we needed. Thank you _very_ much for your time Mr. Woodstock.' Frank grunted, motioning in the general direction of the door. He finished his coffee, going over to the machine to pour himself another. Nick raised his eyebrows at Judy as they made their way to the door, pulling it shut behind them as they stepped out into the fresh air. They strolled down the driveway, Nick’s bushy tail swaying gently behind him. He twisted his head, glancing back to see Mr. Woodstock glaring at them through the kitchen window.

'So how much trouble am I in?' He asked, giving a small wave to the beaver. Judy looked at him in silence, chewing the inside of her cheek. He turned to her, smile vanishing as he did his best to look contrite. The gate opened automatically as they reached it and they both climbed silently into the car.

Judy reached forward, pushing the keys into the ignition. She sat quietly for a few moments before turning to Nick. 'You can’t keep doing this Nick.'

He chuckled. 'Doing what?' His laughter died as he noted her expression. 'Okay, not a time for jokes. But come on Carrots he was asking for it!'

'No, he wasn’t Nick.' She stabbed her finger accusingly at the fox. 'Just because he’s easily agitated is not an excuse to wind him up.'

'He didn’t know anything! He may be an idiot but his math’s solid. There’s no way this was an insurance scam.'

'That’s not the point. He might have had _something_ and now if we do have to question him again we’re gonna have to call in two different officers an-'

'And?' He interrupted, holding up his paws. 'So we get two other guys to come in? I still don’t see why this is such a big deal.'

There was a pause as Judy trailed a finger down the surface of the steering wheel. 'I was passed over for promotion.' Nick fell silent, his mouth slightly ajar as he looked at the rabbit.

'Bogo put my name forward, but there were...' She sighed, running a paw over the back of her head, tapping the wheel with the other. 'There were too many complaints regarding cases we worked. This is why I’m running the investigation. Bogo wants to show what I can do. If we do this, if we find this guy... Even _you_ might get a promotion.'

Nick gave a faint smile. 'I’m sorry Hopps, I didn’t realise.’

‘Well, I almost got you killed so I’d say we’re about even.' He snorted and Judy chuckled. They both looked at each other for a few brief seconds before erupting into uncontrollable laughter, the tense atmosphere melting as they both gasped for air.

When it subsided, Nick turned to Judy, his expression becoming more solemn. ‘I really am sorry Judy, I didn’t think it would...'

She shrugged with a soft smile, turning on the radio. 'I’ll live.' She frowned, right ear twitching as her focus shifted to the broadcast.

_'...side on collision. We’re receiving reports that it was a hit and run although the ZPD has yet to release a statement.'_

Nick sighed, looking out the side window 'Busy couple of days for us. Clawhauser have anything?'

'There was a John Doe in room 73. If the fire report corroborates, we could have a very solid lead.'

'He actually used John Doe?' Nick rolled his eyes, watching a small car drive past as Judy pulled out onto the road. 'Where to now?'

'Well I was going to be a good police officer and type up my notes. Maybe I should drop you home, let you get some rest?' Nick scrunched up his nose, the idea of an early night not something he was accustomed to. But he realised if he asked to stay she’d only get him to help with the notes, which usually meant sitting around on his phone while Judy lambasted him for not doing any work.

'Alright.' Nick yawned, not bothering to cover his mouth. 'But tomorrow we find Mr. Doe?'

She nodded. 'Tomorrow.'


	3. Rosebud

Nick groaned, rolling over to the bedside table. His blanket was dragged along, slowly slipping off the bed before hitting the floor with a soft thump. He fumbled around for his phone, its vibration magnified by the hard wooden surface. His eyes stung as he struggled to distinguish the cheery face of Officer Hopps. His padded digit hovered over the screen as he hesitated, weighing up his options before finally deciding to answer the call. ‘Carrots it’s five in the morning.’

‘You’ve finally learnt to tell the time.’ Judy’s voice perfectly matched her picture, her mood miraculously unaffected by lack of sleep.

‘Ha ha, if this was a reasonable hour that might have made me actually laugh.’ Nick sighed, sitting up on the side of his bed, his paws braced against the mattress as he forced himself to his feet. ‘I’m guessing you’re at the station.’ A horn beeped outside and he lifted the curtains, looking out onto the street. ‘Oh you’ve already been, picked up a car, then come back for me.’ _Of course you have._ He added silently.

Judy smiled up from the squad car, fingers wiggling as she waved to the fox. 'I didn’t want you to miss out.' She said, mouth full as she took a large bite from the carrot bar held in her other paw.

Nick took a deep breath then exhaled through his nose. 'Alright,’ he relented, ‘let me get dressed.' He hung up, returning his mobile to the table and grabbed his duvet, clambering back into the bed. He wrapped himself in the bedspread, trying to block out the noise of the phone as it started buzzing once again. He grunted, pulling it under the sheets with him as he answered the call.

‘Get out of bed fox.’

‘You’re evil.’

* * *

Judy practically skipped into the building, her paw gripping Nick’s wrist as he stumbled along behind her. She gave a polite nod to the security on duty, hanging the keys in the locker before heading to her desk. She took a seat, reaching forward as she turned on her PC, Nick looming in the doorway. ‘So, you gonna tell me why we’re at work at half past five in the morning.’ He flicked on the lightswitch, grabbing his chair from the adjacent cubicle and pulling it over.

Judy stared at the screen, her nails tapping on the desk as she waited for the computer to load. ‘Well Mr. Wilde, I had a thought-’

‘Careful Fluff.’

Judy carried on, unperturbed by the interruption. ‘Woodstock said there was campaign staff in every other room right? What if Mr. Doe’s goal wasn’t to burn down the hotel? What if he was trying to take someone out?’

Nick sighed, scratching the back of his neck. ‘That’s a real big “if” Carrots. Firstly Doe _has_ to be the arsonist and secondly, why wouldn’t his mythical target just leave their room when the fire alarm sounded?’

Judy span around to face him, her sunny disposition perfectly maintained. ‘Well we’ll know if he’s our guy when we get the report and,’ she paused, shrugging, ‘maybe something went wrong with his plan.’ She turned back and logged into the computer, the cursor flashing across the screen as she clicked through folders. A small pleased noise escaped her lips as she found the case file, pulling up the guest list. Her eyes flicked up and down as she scrolled through, quickly finding room 73. ‘There’s Mr. Doe...’ She frowned; rooms 72 and 74 were both booked by no one of significance. She bit her bottom lip, glancing sheepishly at Nick. ‘...Sorry.’

He shook his head, grabbing the seat of her chair and pushing her away from the desk.. ‘Honestly, you bunnies might be good at multiplying but your physics could use some work.’ She arched an eyebrow as Nick looked on with a smug, self-contented grin. ‘Heat rises Hopps. Now, there were 20 rooms per floor right? So…’ He scrolled further down the list. ‘Room 93. Booked to a Miss Sara Redford.’ He looked blankly at the rabbit. ‘Please tell me this name means something to you.’

‘You really don’t do _any_ research do you? Mayoral Candidate Sara Redford? The pretty vixen?’

He turned to her, his brow furrowed. ‘That’s the target?’ He held his hand over his mouth, tapping his fingers against his cheek as he attempted to hide his smile. ‘We should probably see if Miss Redford has any information that could help with the case.’ He opened a web browser, ignoring Judy’s deadpan gaze as he swiftly brought up her campaign page. ‘All right, next event’s a rally at Frostfield in...’ He glanced at the computer’s clock. ‘...seven hours. Great.’

Judy tussled Nick’s fur with a grin. ‘And I thought _I_ was good at math. Well while we’re here we might as well do some research on Redford.’

Judy pushed her chair back, getting onto her feet as she talked. ‘Okay I might have found something. She used to be a lawyer for DLA Striper…’ She walked over to Nick’s cubicle. The fox’s head hung over the back of the chair, mouth open as drool ran down his cheek. She wrinkled her nose, pulling out her notebook and quietly tearing a page. Her hands closed around the paper, scrunching it into a ball which she held above the fox’s maw. She let go, the ball just missing his mouth as it bounced off his nose and onto the floor. Nick twitched, blinking awake as he looked down at the crumpled piece of paper then to the rabbit.

Judy raised her eyebrows before continuing. ‘As I was saying, she quit her law firm just over a year ago but she had a track record of defending big companies. Maybe we’re looking for someone she beat in court.’

Nick wiped his mouth with the back of his paw, yawning as he glanced at his computer screen. ‘Maybe… But you’re kinda missing the obvious fact: she’s a fox running for mayor. I don’t know about you Hopps but I imagine a lot of folk aren’t thrilled with the idea of her calling the shots.’ He frowned, looking at the time. It was just coming up to eleven, yet the surrounding desks were curiously empty. ‘Where is everyone?’

Judy shrugged, moving back to her computer as an email notification sounded. She scanned the subject line, taking a seat as she pulled the the message up. ‘Fire report’s in,’ she called. Nick slowly rose to his feet, sauntering over to the rabbit’s desk. He rested his arms on the back of her chair, watching as she opened the report. They read it simultaneously, eyes flicking side to side as they skimmed through the document.

Nick patted Judy’s head with a grin, ‘Well Fluff you were right, Mr. Doe’s our guy.’ He cleared his throat, quoting the file. ‘“Fire alarm 4C was activated at 9:32, 37 seconds before the smoke alarm in room 73 was triggered. A mini bar with serial number 81132196 was found to have cigarette debris and abnormally high volume of rum on its surface and upon checking the hotel records it was discovered that this was assigned to room 73.”’

The door opened and they turned, Officer Delgato giving them a small nod, his foot pressed against the base of the door as he stood in the entrance. ‘Just letting you know that I’ve been transferred to the hit and run case.’

Judy frowned, ‘Why?’

The tiger shrugged, face innocently blank as he looked at the bunny. ‘I guess Bogo thought it was more important.’

She scowled, getting up from her chair. Nick tactfully stepped in front of her, holding the door open as the big cat left the room. He closed it, back resting against the wooden surface as he held it shut. ‘Easy, tiger.’

‘How could Bogo think that an entire hotel burning down is less important than a car crash?’

‘I don’t know, but before you get all huffy and charge into his office demanding an explanation, we might be able to catch Candidate Redford before her rally if we leave right now. Then when you’ve cooled off in Tundratown maybe we can both see the Chief and have a nice, chilled conversation about it? If you’re good I might even get you an ice cream.’

Judy held her paws on her hips, mouth scrunched as she considered the idea. ‘Fine.’ She said shortly, pushing him out of the way and opening the door. Nick followed her out, walking close behind as she made her way to the key locker. It was empty. She slammed it shut with a frustrated snarl, yanking the fox behind her as she stormed out of the station.

‘Subway then?’

* * *

They both shivered as they sat on the flimsy wooden chairs, arms folded across their bodies as they watched the wolf stood on stage. Nick leant close to Judy, teeth chattering as he spoke in hushed tones.‘This guy’s been stalling for almost 20 minutes and I can no longer feel my tail. I’ll be right back.’ He slunk off and Judy watched him go, wrapping her arms around her legs as she brought her knees up to her chest, feet resting on the base of the chair. She surveyed the crowd; a large mass of grey and white fur, with a few smatterings of brightly coloured jumpers and coats. Her ears flicked up as the wolf’s introduction reached a crescendo. The crowd cheered and she managed a brief glimpse of a figure removing a thick black parka before her view was obscured by the mammals getting to their feet.

Nick reappeared by her side ‘Did I miss her entrance?’ He was holding a large yellow winter coat, big enough to fit a bear.

Judy glanced between the fox and the coat. ‘I’m not sure that will fit you.’

He grinned, running an arm through one side of the coat before taking a seat. He shuffled up close to the rabbit, wrapping the other half of the coat around her. ‘It was the best I could get; the other arm’s for you.’

She snorted in derision, but the breeze picked up and the biting cold found its way through her uniform. She ran her arm down the sleeve, her paw barely reaching the elbow of the coat. She laughed as he pulled up the zip, gripping the neckline and pulling it down as she struggled to get a decent view. ‘You know this is both the sweetest and stupidest thing you’ve ever done.’

Nick smiled to himself, ducking his head so it was level with the bunny’s. He gave a private wolf whistle as the crowd finally sat back down, appreciating the unobstructed view of the vixen. Redford wore a simple black jacket with a blue top underneath, a small silver chain hanging around her neck. Nick grinned, giving a sideways glance at Judy. ‘You know I’d say she looks even better in person.’

She rolled her eyes. ‘Well you can tell her that when we question her, though if you ask me I think she looks pretty exhausted.’

‘Well she’s running a campaign, of course she’s tired. You gotta look beneath all th…’ He paused, frowning as he tilted his head, his red fur brushing against hers. ‘You’re right, she’s seen better days. And how is she not freezing in that outfit?’

‘Probably some psychology thing, display of strength, trying to impress us all with her resistance to cold.’

‘Well cold resistance is certainly the first thing I look for in a mayor.’ A bear in front of them glanced back at the two, confusion on his face as he examined the irregular yellow mass. Nick mouthed, ‘Sorry,’ offering an apologetic smile as the bear, satisfied, turned back to face the podium. ‘How much longer?’ He whispered, his back arching forward as he stretched his muscles.

‘About an hour and 20 minutes.’

He groaned, ‘Great.’

It was an hour and 27 minutes before Redford finished her speech but Nick found he’d barely noticed the time passing. She was a great speaker, passionate and engaging. She was smart but showed off her knowledge without being too preachy. Perhaps it was a fox thing or maybe something all predators could understand, but Nick found himself relating to a lot of her stories.

She was taking questions now, a microphone getting passed around the audience, a sea of arms rising in the air as she finished an answer. Nick joined them, paw held high above his head as Judy looked at him in horror.

‘Nick,’ she whispered urgently, trying to tug his arm down, ‘we’re two police officers sharing a huge yellow coat, you’re gonna draw attention to us.’

‘I make this look work. Besides pretty much everyone here wants to ask something what’s the chan…?’ A mic was thrust into his paw and he smiled in thanks, Judy now busy trying to hide herself in the depths of the fabric. ‘Miss Redford, what’s your view on equality?’

The vixen frowned as she looked at the misshapen coat, a soft smile across her muzzle. ‘Equality is a very broad subject, could you be a little more specific?’

‘It was intentionally broad. It’s that or “Why aren’t you wearing a warmer jacket?”’ The crowd laughed and her smile broadened, now recognising the face poking through the oversized hood.

‘Why it appears we have something of a local hero with us, and may I say in very fetching attire. Officer Nicholas Wilde everyone.’ She gestured to him and the crowd cheered, all turning to face this celebrity. Nick, unfazed by the attention, raised his paw and gave a small wave, the sleeve bunched around his arm. Judy blushed, ducking her head further into the coat, hoping that no one had noticed the small lump in the clothing. The vixen gave a small nod before continuing. ‘And no, I’m not avoiding your question, though I did buy some time to think of an answer.’ A slight chuckle rippled through the crowd and she took a deep breath.

‘We are all, by law, equal. We all have the same rights and we should all abide by the same legislation. There is no exception to this, regardless of whether you’re a banker or teacher, surgeon or mayor. There is no one above the law and there is no one below it.

‘But we are not all the same. I’m a fox, I see wolves, bears, moose, otters, elk… We all have our strengths and we all have our weaknesses, and there’s nothing wrong with that. I will never be as fast as a cheetah and I’ll never be able to hold my breath as long as an otter but we should never let our species define us, limit us. We are all equal in our ability to do good and each and every one of us can make a difference in this world.

‘Now I’m not here to pretend that we live in an idyllic society without prejudice and discrimination. But if anyone has the audacity to say “You’re just...”: “You’re just a fox”, “You’re just a mouse”, “You’re just a bear”, if anyone tries to pretend they are somehow above you, that you’re not of equal worth, you tell them that they are no greater, they are no more valuable, they are nothing more than you and you are nothing less than them. We are all equal in the eyes of the law and it’s about time we were equal in the eyes of each other.’

The crowd erupted into applause, mammals climbing to their feet as they cheered. Judy pursed her lips, flashing an impressed glance to Nick. He got on his chair, Judy slinking out of the bottom of the coat as he clapped his paws together. He frowned, eyes fixed on the vixen as she began waving, her arm held high above her head.

‘I’m afraid I can’t take anymore questions, thank you so much everyone for coming. This campaign is alive because of mammals like you.’ Nick jumped to the ground, landing heavily in the snow as he looked around for Judy. She’d already taken off, running down the small walkway between the chairs. Nick attempted to follow but tripped over the oversized coat, falling hard to the ground. Judy didn’t notice, her eyes fixed on the car driving off, heart sinking as she realised the last two hours had been completely wasted. She reached the front of the platform, a polar bear in a crisp black suit coming over to head her off.

Judy flashed her badge, ‘Officer Hopps’

The bear paused, mouth open as he stared at the bunny. ‘Judy Hopps? Ma’am it’s a pleasure.’ He offered his paw. ‘Agent Coolson, Minkerton security. I’m a big fan.’

Judy smiled, her paw engulfed in his as he shook it. ‘Pleasure to meet you Coolson, I don’t suppose you can tell me where that car’s headed? We were really hoping to speak with Miss Redford.’ She twisted round to see Nick, panting heavily. His paw rested on his chest as he grimaced, the large coat now under his arm. ‘Officer Wilde,’ she explained.

Coolson nodded, ‘That car was headed back to the campaign office but Miss Redford’s car hasn’t left yet. I’ll take you to her.’ He pulled open the barrier, letting the two slip through, leading them around the back of the stage. The candidate stood with arms folded and shoulders hunched, now back in her thick black parka.

She nodded politely, teeth chattering as she looked between the fox and rabbit. ‘You were here to speak with me right? I thought it unlikely two police officers would be slacking off to come to my rally.’ She rubbed her paws together in a desperate attempt to warm them. ‘If you’re both headed back to the station could I offer you a lift and we’ll talk in the car? I imagine The Wall Street Gerbil would pay quite a lot of money for a photo of me being questioned by the ZPD.’ She gestured towards the large vehicle, Coolson pulling the door open.

Nick grinned at Judy as she climbed into the black car. ‘Well I think this beats the subway.’ He followed close behind, sinking into the plush car seat as he fastened the safety belt. Redford stepped in, giving a nod of thanks to the polar bear.

Coolson held his sleeve up to his mouth. ‘Rosebud’s secure, en route to...’ The remainder of his sentence was lost as he closed the door. Nick squished himself against Judy, trying to give the vixen as much room as possible. They watched in silence as Coolson climbed into the driver's seat and pulled away.

Judy pulled out her notepad and pen, leaning forward in her seat as she looked around Nick. ‘We’re sorry to bother you Miss Redford.’

‘Sara’s fine if you’re okay with that.’

‘Oh, sure thing. We’ve just got a couple of questions regarding the Albatross fire.’

The vixen frowned. ‘This is about the hotel that burned down?’

Judy glanced at Nick before continuing. ‘We have reason to suspect that this wasn’t an accident or a mindless act.’ Sara raised her eyebrows, looking blankly at the rabbit. ‘We think that you might have been the target. The fire was started in the room directly below yours. Did you notice anyone suspicious at the hotel? Have you received any particularly aggressive threats or any that displayed knowledge of your whereabouts?’

The vixen rested her elbows on her legs as she clasped her paws together, resting her chin on them. She began to shake her head but paused, eyes fixed on the rim of her window. ‘There was a letter, it was a few weeks ago now. I get a lot of threats and normally my campaign staff throw them out but this was delivered to my home. It wasn’t stamped.’

Judy scribbled furiously in her pad. ‘Do you remember what it said?’

‘It told me to drop out, something about politics and corruption. I’m sorry, I can’t quite remember the exact message. I didn’t keep it, I just assumed it was nothing.’

Nick looked to Judy, eyebrow raised in concern. ‘Where were you when the fire started?’ He asked, turning back.

‘I was quite lucky, my manager held a last minute meeting for the Downtown rally. Otherwise I probably would’ve-’ She yawned, holding both paws in front of her mouth. ‘Sorry. I probably would’ve been asleep.’ She rubbed her eye with a finger, blinking as she tried to wake herself up.

Nick glanced sharply at the vixen.‘Asleep at half past nine?’

‘Well, nine. Running for mayor doesn’t grant me many opportunities to sleep over six hours.’ Sara pulled a mirror from her handbag, examining the bags under her eyes with a soft sigh. ‘I look like such a mess.’

Judy tapped her pen against her chin. ‘You don’t know anyone that might have sent the letter, maybe someone you defended against back when you were a lawyer?’

Sara shook her head. ‘I don’t think so.’

Judy pursed her lips, nostrils flaring as she exhaled. Her eyes widened as a thought struck her. ‘I don’t suppose you happen to take sleeping pills?’ The vixen blinked in surprise, nodding. ‘Do you mind if we take a look at them?’

She rummaged through her bag, finding the small white bottle and handing it to the rabbit. Judy opened it, tapping the container against her paw until a couple of the white pills fell onto her open palm. She frowned, examining the bottle, then the tablets. She held them out to Nick who did the same, twisting her paw to better see the label. He looked at the candidate, ‘How did you get these?’

‘Just over the counter.’ She said with a shrug. ‘What’s wrong with them?’

Judy popped the pills back in the container, screwing the cap back on.‘These should be blue. This might just be a clerical error but we’re gonna have to test these and get back to you. Do you have any way we can contact you?’

Sara handed her card to Nick, concern apparent across her face. ‘My manager will throw a fit if he discovers I’ve given out my personal number. But I’m sure I can trust you.’ She smiled, a buzz came from her bag and she reached into it pulling out her phone. She glanced at the screen, ‘Speaking of whom. Sorry, I have to take this.’

Sara spent the rest of the journey arguing with her manager, both Nick and Judy unable to piece together exactly what the issue was. ‘All right, fine. I’ll ask.’ She snapped, hanging up the call. She looked out the car window, noticing the large orange structure that was the police station. ‘I’m really sorry, if you’ve got any more questions just give me a call.’

Judy smiled and nodded. ‘Thank you for time Miss Redford.’ The door behind her opened and she turned, not noticing Sara pull a face as she hopped out of the vehicle. Nick was ready to follow, but the vixen placed a paw on his arm, glancing at the rabbit. ‘Do you mind if I have a quick chat with Officer Wilde? It’ll only take a moment.’

Judy looked on in confusion but shrugged, deciding she could take on Bogo alone. ‘Take as long as you like.’

She strolled into the station, Clawhauser giving a small wave as he stood behind the desk, right cheek coated in icing. She grinned, tapping her own cheek at him before making her way to the chief’s office. She rapped her knuckles against the frosted glass as she opened the door, heading into room.

Bogo sat behind his desk, reading the large document that rested upon it. He looked up from the file, removing his glasses as the rabbit pulled herself up onto the seat opposite. ‘Hopps, you have an update?’

‘Actually Chief, I was going to ask why Delgato was moved out of my team.’ Judy stood on the chair, hands resting on the desk as she leant forward.

Bogo frowned, ‘Not just Delgato, Higgins was also moved.’

She inhaled, preparing a long angry retort, pausing as she took the time to register the words. ‘So can I have them back?’

‘If you need them.’

Judy folded her arms, deliberating the situation. She hadn’t anticipated the Chief to be so easily swayed and she realised that actually she didn’t need them in her team. ‘Well,’ she huffed, ‘good.’

‘Now do you have an update or did you just come here for an apology?’ Bogo put his glasses back on, picking up the document that sat before him.

Judy sat down, fingers tapping against the wooden table. ‘Well sir, we believe that this arson was intentional and we suspect he was targeting someone.’ Bogo motioned for her to continue. ‘The room where the fire started was directly below Candidate Sara Redford and when we talked to her, we discovered she was taking these.’ She reached into her pocket, pulling out the bottle of pills.

He took it, examining the label before setting it down on the table. ‘Sleeping pills?’

‘Open it.’

Bogo did as she asked, gently tapping the rim against his large hand. Two small white circles fell into his palm and a soft ‘Hmmm’ escaped his lips as he regarded the tablets. ‘You’ve tested these?’

‘Not yet,’ she admitted, ‘but we just acquired them.’

He dropped the pills back into the container, lid clicking as he screwed the cap on. ‘Good work Hopps.’ He rapped his knuckles against the desk as he mulled over his options. ‘Delgato and Wolford will go back to your team. In fact, I’ll merge the two teams, but I’m taking charge of this investigation.’ Judy began to protest but he held up his hand, silencing her. ‘This is too much of a coincidence to be regarded as separate cases. Two mayoral candidates targeted in quick succession?’ She tilted her head questioningly, Bogo snorting as he noted her confusion. ‘Candidate Nigel Hornby was the victim the hit and run, he’s in intensive care right now.’ He sighed, rubbing his chin. ‘Sorry Hopps, you’re an excellent officer and I know you’re more than capable of managing a case like this, but City Hall would slaughter me if I left someone of your rank in charge.’

Judy slumped back in her chair, ears drooping against the back of her head. ‘I know someone who’ll love this.’

* * *

Nick shuffled uncomfortably in his seat, watching as the car door swung shut, getting a brief glimpse of the rabbit as she marched purposefully into the station. Sara gazed out of her window, pretending not to notice his squirming. ‘I’m sorry about this, I wasn’t sure when or even if we’d get to talk again so I thought I’d better ask now. There’s a fundraiser, tomorrow evening. I understand you’re probably busy but…’

Nick glanced at her in surprise, a small bemused smile starting to form across his snout. ‘You’re asking me on a date?’

Sara paused, considering the term. ‘Well I suppose, but this is a political move. Mammals see me as conniving, scheming; my manager wanted me to have a date as a clumsy attempt to alter this persona, it’s what we were arguing about actually. I refuse to have a piece of arm candy, but the first fox mayoral candidate and police officer? The press would love it. I’d get a lot of media coverage and hopefully my approval rating would go up.’

Nick raised an eyebrow, ‘Well you really are selling it to me.’

‘Food’s provided.’

‘Sold.’ He answered immediately. ‘Though aren’t you just a little concerned that I’m going to show you up? I mean I did quite recently dive under a collapsing building to save someone.’ She laughed, the chuckle ending in a gigglesnort. She held her hand over her snout, embarrassment plain across her face. Nick offered a reassuring smile, ‘It’s... endearing.’

Sara flashed him a look that made it clear she’d heard that lie many times before. ‘Anyway, I’m sure I can hold my own around such a celebrity. You have my number, send me your details and I’ll have a car pick you up, say around seven?’

She looked out at the police station. ‘Now I’m sure Officer Hopps is wondering where you are.’ She knocked twice on the ceiling and Coolson opened the door once again. Nick slipped out, giving the bear a nod of thanks. He watched as the agent got back into the driver’s seat, starting the engine before turning the car around. It stopped before him and the window slid down, Sara flashing a sly grin. ‘I look forward to seeing you in black tie.’ She said with a wink, giving a small wave to the fox as the car pulled away.

He watched it go, slightly dazed by the events that had just occurred. He wandered into the station, looking around aimlessly before deciding to head back to his desk, curious to see if Judy had met with the chief yet.

He found her face down on the desk, head pressed against the keyboard. ‘I can tell you had a good meeting,’ he smirked.

Judy slowly rolled her head over, looking up at the fox with a glare. ‘Bogo’s taking over the case. The mammal involved with the hit and run was Mayoral Candidate Nigel Hornby.’

‘The guy who’s always on about “preserving Zootopia’s culture”?’

‘Yeah,’ she sighed, ‘anyway there’s someone out there targeting candidates and Bogo can’t leave me in charge.’

Nick went over to his desk, sitting down and wheeling his chair over to Judy. ‘Well there’ll always be other cases, and I’m sure Bogo will say you did all the legwork. You still might get a promotion at the end of this.’ He patted the top of her head in the most patronising way he could manage, abruptly snapping his fingers as a thought occurred to him. ‘Oh cheese crackers, I left the coat in the car.’ He sighed before shrugging, his cocky smirk returning, ‘In other news, guess who has a date with a certain Sara Redford?’

Judy sat up in her chair, disbelief apparent across her face. ‘Really?’

‘You bet, I got myself invited to a fundraiser. It’s gonna be a big, black tie shindig.’ He leant back in his chair, resting the back of his head in his paws.

Judy frowned, head tilting to the side. ‘Do you even have black tie clothes?’

Nick paused, slowly turning his head to face Judy, eyes wide as he stared at her in horror. ‘I’ve made a huge mistake.’


	4. Opposition Research

Bogo cleared his throat, silencing the mammals that had gathered in the briefing room. ‘All right listen up. You all know why you’re here so I’m not going to waste time reminding you. Catching Doe is priority number one.’ He looked over the eight officers he’d assembled for his team. ‘Wolford, Delgato, you’re going back to the hit and run. Find me something on them. I don’t care if it’s a hair or his passport. Get me _something_.’ He held out a file as the wolf and tiger got to their feet. ‘This has everywhere we've covered and unchecked locations.’ Wolford took the file, nodding to the chief as he exited the room.

‘Grizzoli, Trunkaby, I need you to check out the information Doe gave to the hotel. He used a card, to get that he’d have needed ID and an address. See if you can get anything from the bank.’ Bogo held out another folder as he continued. ‘Rhinowitz, Johnson, you’re on criminal records, we’re looking for anyone with a political vendetta and possibly a large amount of resources. Check anyone who’s been recently released.’ The chairs squealed as they got out from behind their desks; the officers collected their respective files and left the room.

The Chief hit the last folder against the stand, looking at Nick and Judy. ‘You two will be interviewing the candidates. You said Redford received a threatening letter, see if they all got one. Someone either really hates politicians or they’re trying to take out their competition.’

‘Have they all been informed of the situation?’ Judy asked.

Bogo nodded, throwing the file towards them. ‘I called their offices last night.’ Nick caught the file, examining the contents. ‘That has the addresses of campaign headquarters and candidate schedules. Though I wouldn’t expect them to stick to it.’ He paused, giving them a pointed look. ‘I'd appreciate it if you didn’t sit through every rally today. I’d like you to have interviewed everyone sometime this week.’ He watched the rabbit and fox exchange embarrassed glances, then waved his hand dismissively, ‘Now get out of here.’

They pushed their chairs back and made their way to the exit. Judy paused in front of the chief, looking up at him with determination. ‘I won’t let you down chief.’

‘See that you don’t.’

Nick snorted, paw held against the door as he waited for the rabbit. ‘Don’t worry, she’s got me for that.’ Bogo growled, but Nick grinned and gave a salute to the chief as he followed his partner out of the room.

Judy took the file, rifling through it as she scanned the list of candidates and times. ‘If we hurry we can meet with Packer before he goes into a strategy meeting.’ She glanced up, ensuring she didn’t bump into anyone on her way to the key locker.

Nick peered at the file over her shoulder. ‘Yeah, we might be able to squeeze that in,’ he said, watching with a smirk as Judy stood on her tiptoes, arms stretched high above her as she struggled to grip the end of a key. He casually reached forward, taking the keyring out from over her. ‘I’ll drive.’ He grinned, twirling the keyring around his finger as he headed for the door.

Judy rushed in front of him, eyeing the fox suspiciously as she stepped backwards. Nick looked at her nonchalantly, his padded feet almost treading on hers. ‘You never drive,’ she stated, a surprised grunt escaping her lips as she bumped heavily against the glass door, breath momentarily knocked from her lungs.

‘Well what can I say? I’ve turned over a new leaf.’ He reached out above the bunny, pushing the door open and walking sedately towards the squad car, his bushy tail swishing languidly behind him. ‘Criticising your driving has gotten old.’ He looked back at the bunny with a grin. ‘It’s time we focussed on your navigation.’

She remained unconvinced, but said nothing more as they reached the vehicle, both opening their respective doors and climbing in. Nick started the car, revving the engine a couple of times before putting it into reverse. Judy rolled her eyes while pulling out her mobile, thumbs tapping against the screen as she Zoogled the address. ‘Left here,’ she said.

The fox kept his eyes on the road, one ear pricked up. ‘Sorry what was that?’ He asked, face guiltless as he took a right out of the car park.

‘I said left.’

‘Well you really should’ve been clearer, I mean honestly Carrots.’ He sighed, shaking his head. ‘Letting you navigate was clearly a mistake.’

Judy sat in silence, grip tightening on her phone. She refused to let him get to her. They’d been working together far too long for this still to be so easy. ‘No problem,’ she said, forcing a smile, ‘just take the next left.’ Nick took another right, a smirk clearly visible despite his best attempts to disguise it. Judy bristled, struggling to maintain her sunny disposition. ‘You know I could just give you the opposite directions.’

‘Relax Carrots, I know a shortcut.’ Nick said, waving his paw dismissively.

‘You don’t even know where we’re going!’

‘And who’s fault is that? _You’re_ the navigator.’ Judy resisted the urge to thump the fox as hard as she could and, using only half her strength, pounded his shoulder. Nick pouted at the rabbit, tenderly rubbing the afflicted area.

Judy glared back. ‘Eyes on the road,’ she growled. He did as she asked, appearing cowed from her outburst as he drove the vehicle in silence. With a small sigh, she looked back at her phone. ‘Okay. Now. Right,’

Nick turned left.

* * *

After a multitude of wrong turns and a rather lengthy argument, Nick pulled over on a quiet street. He climbed out of the vehicle, closing the door with his foot before meeting Judy on the pavement. He glanced up, frowning as he examined the shop sign, ‘Oh my, what’s this? A tailor's? How very convenient.’

Judy twisted round, head tilted back as she read the name of the store. _‘L. Odoré’_ She huffed, ‘You know if you were planning on getting a suit you could have just told me.’

‘Where’s the fun in that?’ Nick opened the door with a grin, slipping inside the building. Judy followed, mumbling incoherently about duty and how this wasn’t supposed to be fun.

A garishly dressed skunk strutted out of the back room, as if anticipating their arrival. Royal purple slacks adorned his legs, a tight matching waistcoat and white shirt with large unbuttoned cuffs around his torso. He gave a long, lingering gaze at Nick, pulling out a pencil that had been trapped behind his ear. ‘Well, hello darling, you must be Mr. Wilde. Sara’s told me all about your little situation. Not to worry, Luciano is here to help.’ He gestured flamboyantly as he talked, yet his arms always remained firmly pressed against his sides, as though someone had bolted his elbows to his waist. He turned to Judy, ‘I do apologise Miss Hopps, I understand you’re very very busy, but I shall be as swift as a cheetah.’

Judy nodded curtly, watching as the skunk twisted back to face Nick, lips pursed as he looked the fox over. ‘I think for you, I shall stick to the classic black suit. I love the navy blue on you, with the orange and white, mm it’s gorgeous darling. But tonight, I don’t want everyone to be thinking “Nicholas Wilde the Police Officer.” No no, tonight you are “Nicholas Wilde the Prince,” here to accompany the lovely Miss Redford to the grand ball.’ He leant close, wiggling his eyebrows, ‘I’ve seen that dress she’s wearing tonight and darling, perfection? Understatement.’ He nodded knowingly as he pulled a small roll of material from his waistcoat pocket. He pinched the metal tab between his fingers, the long fibreglass tape unravelling to the ground as he flicked his paw.

Luciano gently slid his fingers along the tape, pulling it taut with snap, ‘Now let’s see…’ He ran the cord around the back of his neck as he began measuring the fox, gradually working his way down. He moved gracefully, taking each recording with a surprising amount of precision, his playful smile giving way to a more serious expression as he jotted down each value. Nick raised his eyebrows at Judy with a grin, his cocky expression replaced by a panicked stare as the tailor began to measure his inseam. She smirked, enjoying his discomfort.

‘And finito!’ The skunk finished with a flourish of his paw, rolling the tape neatly around his finger. ‘Now don’t you worry about the bill darling. Sara’s very kindly offered to foot it for you. Which is probably a good thing, because I’m not sure you’d be able to afford me.’ He chuckled, placing the roll back in his pocket as he peered at the notebook, pencil pressed against his bottom lip as he examined the measurements. ‘I should have the suit finished by four o’clock but my shop is open ‘till five thirty, so visit any time between then.’

He pulled out his card, tapping it into Nick’s breast pocket. ‘Here’s my number, just in case you’re going to be a teensy bit late, or you know,’ the skunk raised his eyebrows, leaning close, ‘if you get lonely.’ The skunk pulled back, as if shocked at the words that had escaped his lips, holding a paw over his mouth as he giggled. ‘It’s a joke darling. It’s a joke I tell.’

Nick smiled awkwardly as he pulled the keys from his pocket. ‘Well, thanks very much for your time Mr. Odoré.’

The skunk tutted, ushering them to the exit. ‘Please darling. Luciano, or Luchi if you must.’ He opened the door. ‘Now I must get started on your suit. Thank you for being so very patient Miss Hopps, I’m sure you two have a busy day ahead of you.’

Judy nodded with a tight lipped smile, following Nick closely as he left the tailor’s. She gripped his wrist, twisting it painfully as she took the keys from his now open palm. ‘ _I’ll_ drive.’

* * *

The stoat looked up from his monitor, eyes flicking between the two officers before returning to the screen. ‘I’m sorry, Mr. Packer has just gone into a meeting. It should be finished in around half an hour, if you don’t mind waiting.’

Judy glared at the side of Nick’s head, the fox blissfully unaware as he smiled at the receptionist. ‘I'm really sorry, we would have been here earlier but we had some… Navigational difficulties.’ He said, giving a barely noticeable tilt of his head in Judy’s direction. ‘Would it be possible to get him out of the meeting? We'd be 5, 10 minutes max.’

The stoat hesitated, his digits tapping against the base of the keyboard. He sighed, climbing to his feet, ‘I’ll check, but I can’t guarantee he’ll be able to escape. If you’ll follow me.’ He got out from around the desk, giving a small nod to a nearby jill who immediately took his place. Judy looked around as they were led between the rows of desks and workstations. It was a spacious office, two rows of walkways crisscrossed over them, perspex barriers bordering the platforms. Above them was a large glass ceiling that flooded the room with daylight, the clear blue sky contrasting the deep purple carpet.

He brought them up the stairs to a small meeting room, rapping the knuckle of a finger twice against the door before poking his head in. ‘Excuse me, Mr. Packer? Officer Hopps and Wilde are here to see you.’

A voice came from within the room, ‘I’ll stall them, you guys burn the evidence.’ The sound of laughter was swiftly followed by a large wolf. He stood in the doorway, giving a nod to the stoat before smiling at the two officers. It was a genuine smile, or at least a very good act. He motioned down a walkway, ‘Is my office a good place to talk?’

Nick nodded and Packer showed them to the room, pulling up two chairs for the officers before taking a seat for himself. The wolf rested his elbows against the desk, digits interlaced as he raised his eyebrows at them. ‘So, how can I help?’

Judy’s trusty notepad appeared in her hand, ‘Well, firstly we were wondering if you’ve received any particularly threatening emails, letters, anything memorable?’ she asked, carrot pen poised and ready.

Packer scrunched his muzzle as he struggled to remember, a small frown furrowing his brow. ‘All I can think of was an unstamped letter delivered to my home, ages ago now.’

Nick looked to Judy, his expression serious, ‘What did it say?’

Packer shrugged, the broad shoulders of his suit crumpling. ‘I don’t know, some accusation of corruption. I barely read it before throwing it out.’

Judy sighed, ‘Did you not think it might be important?’

‘I didn’t want my wife to see.’

Nick gave a wry smile, claws rapping against the edge of the desk. ‘You don’t know of anyone that could have sent it? Anyone with in-depth knowledge of the candidates?’

Packer shook his head, ‘I can’t imagine anyone privy to that sort of information, at least no one I know. Perhaps someone at city hall, but they take pretty extensive measures to prevent abuses of power now.’ He paused, looking anxiously at the pair. ‘Do I need to be worried?’

‘Well I strongly recommend you tell your security detail and follow their advice. This guy’s made an unsuccessful attempt but he knows what he’s doing,’ Nick said.

Judy cut in, ‘Hypothetically, if you were to try and get in-depth information about another candidate, how would you go about doing it?’

‘Well,’ said Packer, ‘opposition research is probably the way I’d do it. There are hundreds of “intelligence gathering” companies out there and if you pay enough I’m sure they could find pretty much anything.’ He sighed, scratching under his chin. ‘Heck, you could probably get away with using campaign funds. I know I’ve got guys here trying to find dirt on the other candidates. I hate it, but when campaigns go negative - and they will - you need to make sure you’ve got some ammo ready or you’ll get crucified out there.’ He shuffled in his seat, resting his chin in on the back of his paws. ‘Anything else you need from me?’

Judy turned a page in her notebook, ‘If you don’t mind hanging around a few more minutes, we’ve just got routine questions we need to ask.’

Packer grinned, ‘Ah, what the heck. You’re saving me from that meeting. Shoot.’

* * *

‘If this guy doesn’t have something, this entire day has been a waste of time.’ Nick said, glancing at the clock. Their interviews had been unsuccessful. Sheuts and Long, the other two candidates they’d seen, had the same story as Packer; a threatening letter sent to their homes which they’d both disposed of. Neither knew who could’ve delivered it nor had any knowledge of why someone would want them to drop out.

‘Mr Stalker is ready for you now.’ A sow stood before them with a well practiced smile. Her hands clasped in front of her as she bowed her head. They had been waiting for almost an hour now. Unlike Mr. Packer, the other candidates believed the police should work around their time and not vice versa. The receptionist gestured to the side, turning as she led them through a set of double doors. Nick winced, ears pressed flat against his head as they was exposed to the clamour of multitudinous phones and shouting mammals. They made their way through the mess of desks to an office in a far corner. The sow knocked three times.

‘Yes?’ a voice called from inside.

‘Officer Hopps and Wilde to see you sir,’ she responded, her voice raised over the racket.

‘Very well, let them in.’ The receptionist opened the door, motioning for them to enter. It was a dark room, shards of light barely managing to worm their way between the closed blinds, the bulbs overhead dimmed down to a level that seemed to defeat the point of having them on at all. A panther sat behind a large mahogany desk, his green eyes piercing through the gloom. ‘I apologise for the lighting, I find it helps me focus. Please take a seat.’ His Molex watch caught the light as he gestured towards the single chair opposite his desk. They moved into the room, the sow closing the door behind them as Nick perched on the side of the chair, leaving just enough space for Judy. Stalker smiled, his large canines on display. ‘Now what can I do for you fine officers?’

Judy took a deep breath, ‘Well I’m not sure how much you know but we were wondering if you’ve received any particularly threatening message-’

‘Oh yes, there was a letter.’ The panther reached down, pulling open a drawer and retrieving an envelope. He slid it across to desk to the rabbit. ‘I received it a few weeks ago now, touched only by my paws. Feel free to take it for evidence.’

Nick frowned, ‘You’ve kept it with you all this time?’

‘Well yes, I thought this threat could be credible. I’ve not told many mammals my home address, and those that I have wouldn’t dare send a letter like that. After I received a call from your Chief last night I thought you might want to take a look at it.’ Judy pulled out a pair gloves from her belt, snapping them on before removing the letter from the envelope. Surprisingly it was printed, not hand written or made from newspaper clippings. She squinted as she read it, the words barely legible in the dim.

“ _Corruption is the heart of politics. The mayors of Zootopia serve only themselves. You do not run for the good of the people but for personal gain. You are a liar and a manipulator who hungers for power. Drop out of the race now and this will go no further. If not, you will be forced to.”_

Nick watched her before turning back to Stalker, ‘You didn’t think to tell the police?’

The jaguar snorted, ‘Well I informed my security adviser, but we decided it would be best if I didn’t look frightened by every threatening message I receive, credible or not. The ZPD aren’t particularly well known for their discretion.’

Nick nodded, unsatisfied but unable to find any flaw in his reasoning. He reached for the letter but Judy slapped his hands away. ‘You can touch it when you have your own set of gloves.’ she snapped, placing the letter in her belt pouch before taking her latex gloves off. ‘Mr Stalker, do you know of anyone that would want you to drop out of the race?’

‘Me personally? Or all politicians in this race?’ He asked, eyebrow arched.

‘Either,’ Nick replied.

‘Well the other candidates would certainly have something to gain if I were to step down.’ He smiled, his tone becoming noticeably smug. ‘After all, I currently hold a 2 point lead. But I can’t pretend there’s not a lot of anarchists out there who are determined to overthrow the system; especially after the disgraceful incident involving Miss Bellwether. I imagine if there’s anyone who’s targeting politicians it would be them.’

Judy retrieved her notepad, pen scratching across the paper, ‘You know of anyone that fits that description?’

Stalker snorted again, shaking his head. ‘Oh no, of course not. I run in very different circles to those mammals. I just hear the snippets that get passed up to me.’ Judy opened her mouth to ask another question but was interrupted by a knock at the door.

‘Excuse me sir. We have a bit of a situation.’ Judy and Nick twisted round to see a ram stood nervously in the doorway.

The panther frowned at him, ‘Yes?’ The sheep glanced at the officers, biting his lip. ‘I see.’ Stalker sighed, getting to his feet. ‘Officers I’m afraid we must finish there. I understand you probably wish to check alibis and somesuch, my secretary has my timetable and if you have any more pressing questions then you can call my office.’ He stood, looking expectantly at the two. They exchanged glances as they followed suit, wordlessly moving to the office door. The ram hurried in the moment their feet crossed the threshold, slamming the door shut behind him.

‘Well, that was abrupt.’ Nick said, glancing back at the room. ‘I wonder what the deal with that guy is.’

Judy weaved her way around the haphazard arrangement of desks. ‘Well I doubt it’s because someone’s birthday decorations didn’t arrive on time.’

‘You think Stalker’s doing something he shouldn’t?’

‘I think there’s something he doesn’t want in the media,’ she pursed her lips, ‘and he’s right, we’re not great at discretion.’

Nick snorted, sliding a chair out of his way. ‘Well if you ask me that guy’s definitely orchestrating everything, and probably _is_ Mr. Doe.’

Judy rolled her eyes but decided against getting into another argument with him. She pushed her way out into the reception, Nick by her side.

He glanced down at her belt pouch, ‘So when can I have a look at that letter?’

‘If you promise to drive to where we’re supposed to go, I suppose I could read it for you.’

Nick gave a small chuckle ‘Very well, I guess I can manage that,’ he said, patting the top of Judy’s head. He paused mid-pat, his eyes widening as he reached for his phone, panic plain across his face as he confirmed the time. ‘We gotta go.’

‘We still need his timetable.’

Nick raced over to the receptionist’s desk. ‘Hi there, can you send Mr. Stalker’s schedule for the past week over to the ZPD? Thanks very much, take care.’ He didn’t wait for the sow’s response as he made for the door, glancing over his shoulder to make sure the rabbit was following.

Judy didn’t seem as concerned about the time as she nonchalantly walked towards the car. ‘What’s the rush Slick?’

Nick held out a paw, making grabbing motions at the rabbit as he urged her to throw the keys. ‘If we don’t leave, like right now, I’m going to have to call the tailor and for some reason I’m not thrilled about the idea of Luchi the fabulous with my number.’ He watched, agonized, as Judy slowly patted herself over, frowning in mock confusion. He growled, ‘Don’t toy with me Carrots.’

She grinned, ‘You’re lucky I’m not as childish as you are.’ She pulled out the keys, dropping them into the fox’s outstretched paw.

‘You love me really.’ He insisted as he clambered into the vehicle.

Judy flumped into her seat, ‘I’m starting to think otherwise.’

* * *

‘Stop squirming.’

‘Stop tugging so hard, it’s a tie not a noose.’

‘I could make it one.’ Judy threatened, stepping off the chair. She tilted her head side to side, giving a slight frown as she appraised her handiwork. ‘Looks good enough. Though I still can’t believe you don’t know how to do a bowtie.’

Nick moved over to the mirror, assessing the knot as he tugged gently on its edges. It looked good. And more importantly, _he_ looked good. The fit of the suit was perfect; the shirt, the jacket the trousers, all flawlessly complementing his form. He winked at his reflection before turning to the rabbit with a shrug. ‘Well I never did become a junior ranger scout. Anyway how do you know?’

‘I have over 275 brothers and sisters, you think I haven’t had to help get them ready for a wedding?’ Judy said.

‘Well sure, but bowties? I imagined the weddings in Bunnyburrow were just barn dances with carrot pies.’ Nick said, casually examining the cuffs of his sleeves.

Judy scowled, unwilling to admit that she’d been to several weddings with a barn dance. ‘One day you’re going to go to Bunnyburrow and realise that we’re not all simple country folk.’

‘You didn’t deny it.’

‘Also didn’t confirm it,’ she snapped. ‘You know you could’ve just got a clip-on.’

Nick snorted, ‘Well obviously, but come on Hopps, if I had a clip-on then how would I drape the tie over my shoulders like in the movies?’

Judy folded her arms, ‘So you’ve asked me to do your bowtie with the specific intention of undoing it later?’

Nick grinned, prepared to make a witty retort when a horn sounded. He glanced out the window, spotting the sleek black vehicle outside. ‘I guess that’s my cue,’ he said, moving for the door, head bowed as he gestured through it. ‘After you madam.’ Judy shot him a quizzical glance as she stepped out of the room, Nick following close behind.

‘I figure I have between here and the car to practice for tonight,’ he explained.

‘Just be your charming con-mammal self and I’m sure you’ll be fine,’ Judy said, feet padding lightly against the stairs as she made her way to the exit.

‘I’m out of practice!’ Nick protested, stumbling as his foot caught the edge of a step, using the wall to steady himself. ‘I mean all this time around you, with your thuggish bunny mannerisms… It’s taken a heavy toll on my charm capabilities.’

Judy shrugged him off with a snort, ‘How will you survive?’ she asked sarcastically, hands pressed against the steel plate of the door as they reached the main entrance. She pushed it open, and was greeted by the sight of Coolson resting against the side of the vehicle. They both smiled, acknowledging the other with a brief nod.

Nick gave a pat on her head as he brushed past her, the bear holding the door as he jumped into the vehicle. The fox managing a quick salute to Judy before it shut, the tinted windows blocking any view of the interior.

‘Pleasure to see you again ma’am.’ Coolson nodded at Judy once again, before climbing into the vehicle.

‘Likewise,’ Judy waved at the space where she imagined Nick sat, watching as the car drove off. She stretched her arms with a yawn, a sudden buzz from her pocket making her jolt. She pulled out her phone. It was Bogo.


	5. Rain on my Parade

‘What’s happening?’

Bogo peered down at Judy. Aside from himself, she was the first officer to arrive at the scene, the rest of the squad still in transit. He watched her survey the area, her cheeks flushed as she gasped for air. It looked like she’d run the entire way there. Knowing her, she probably had.

He glanced back at the building; the campaign headquarters of Jacob Sheuts. Without the blaring alarm there would be no way of knowing anything was wrong. ‘I’ve received no response from security. For all we know Sheuts could still be in there.’ His eyes moved to the road, hoping to spot a squad car turning the corner but none was forthcoming. He sighed, reaching a decision. ‘We’re going in.’

‘Chief, we should wait for backup. We can’t clear the building with just the two of us.’

‘We’re not clearing it. We’re ensuring the safety of a potential mayor and possibly apprehending a criminal. Covert entry works better with fewer officers.’

Judy opened her mouth to protest, but the look the buffalo gave made her think otherwise, no doubt in her mind that he’d go it alone if she refused. She took a deep breath, eventually nodding confirmation to the chief, both officers drawing their dart guns. They moved to the entrance, the chief putting in an earpiece as they walked. Despite their difference in height, Judy knew they made a good team, both professional to a fault, cool under pressure and quick on their feet.

Bogo twisted his head, pressing his free hand against the radio. ‘Bogo and Hopps to dispatch. We are entering the building.’ The lights flicked on and Judy jolted in surprise, cursing her skittishness as Bogo snorted in amusement behind her. The reception desk was empty, with two doorways on either side of the semi-circular counter. She turned to him, a questioning look in her eyes.

Bogo calmly shook his head, as though reading her mind; splitting up would allow them to cover more ground, but a single officer would be much too easy to dispatch. ‘We’re sticking together Hopps. If we’re hoping to catch Doe, I don’t like either of our chances alone.’ He moved to the left doorway, pressing his shoulder against the laminate surface as he opened it slowly, a soft _‘flink’_ as the next set of lights switched on.

There was an unnerving stillness about the building, the siren of the alarm muted as the heavy door swung shut. They stood in a long corridor, a set of double doors at the end with two rows of cubicles to their left. On the opposite wall was a single door emblazoned with the word “ _Security_ ”. Judy stood at the ready as Bogo gripped the handle, watching, waiting, ready for anything that could happen. He tugged. It didn’t move.

The buffalo’s attention shifted to the black box right of the door, a small red light glaring defiantly back at him. He snarled in frustration, resisting the urge to pound the door with a fist; if Doe was here they needed surprise on their side. He looked back at Judy, the rabbit offering a non-committal shrug as she gestured with her head towards the end of the hall. He looked between the door and the bunny before reluctantly nodding agreement, hand returning to his radio. ‘No response from security room, we’re either gonna need an access card or a ram.’ He said in low tones.

If there was a response, Judy couldn’t hear it, but Bogo gave a nod and they continued down the hallway, the double doors revealing a large stairwell. She gritted her teeth as they climbed the steps, the alarm becoming increasingly grating as they neared the summit. She glared at the offending item as they moved past down another long hallway, various office doors on either side.

Judy glanced at Bogo, his mouth a determined slash across his snout. He was tense, his jaw clenched, digits squeezed tightly around the grip of his gun, and the effect this whole ordeal was having on the ZPD dawned on her. He needed a win… but he wasn’t going to find one here. ‘Chief, this building’s empty. If Sheuts was here there’d be-’ She stopped, an ear aloft as her head sharply twisted towards an office, a metal plaque emblazoned with _“Sheuts”_ on the entrance.

Bogo looked back at her. ‘What is it?’

‘There’s someone in there.’

* * *

‘So when you said you didn’t want arm candy…’

‘Oh that was a lie, I just wanted _important_ arm candy.’ Nick scowled as Sara patted his arm. ‘Welcome to politics.’ She smiled, relinquishing her hold as she went to retrieve two champagne flutes from a nearby waiter.

Nick watched her go. She looked stunning. The dress hugged her slender form perfectly, the fabric seeming to change between blue and purple with each movement. It flowed down from her waist, the hem almost brushing against the floor. She caught his eye and smirked, giving a twirl followed by a small curtsy. ‘You look very nice too.’ She said, holding out a glass.

Nick gave an embarrassed grin, taking the flute in his left paw, flexing his right in an attempt to get some blood flowing back into it, the excessive pawshaking taking its toll. ‘How is your paw not killing you?’ He asked, an unsubtle attempt to change the topic of conversation.

She shrugged, ‘You get used to it.’ She took a sip of her sparkling wine, ‘And you can stop whining, we’re done greeting mammals. Anyone who turns up now is either incredibly important or incredibly rude.’ She looked over Nick’s shoulder, giving a tight lipped smile that didn’t quite manage to reach her eyes. ‘Speaking of which…’

He twisted round to see a koala scanning the room, the mammal beaming as his beady eyes alit on the vixen. ‘Sara! Good to see ya.’ He said in an obnoxiously loud voice, pushing past Nick to stand close to the vixen. He was barely the height of her stomach, looking up at her with a cheesy grin. ‘I trust our lil’ arrangement’s still on?’

Sara frowned, her expression tinged with bemusement. ‘I’m sorry? What arrangement?’

The newcomer glanced at Nick, giving Sara a chuckle and wink as he pointed a finger gun at her. ‘That’s my girl.’ He turned to Nick, grasping his paw in an uncomfortably tight handshake. ‘Pleasure to meet you Mr. Wilde.’

Nick grimaced, teeth clenched as he choked out a smile. ‘You too. Mr…?’

‘Cacia. Alan Cacia.’ He gave a nod and another wink to Sara, ‘I’m looking forward to your speech, I heard you’re quite the motivator.’

Nick’s smile contorted to a glare the moment the koala turned his back and moved away. His gaze shifted to Sara, an eyebrow arched quizzically. ‘What was that all about?’

She disregarded him, taking another sip from her glass. ‘You’ll find out soon enough.’ He frowned and she rolled her eyes. ‘Don’t worry yourself Mr. Wilde, I’m not doing anything _that_ illegal.’ She flashed a sly grin, ‘And even if I was, I’m sure I could crush any attorney Zootopia threw at me.’

Nick sighed, giving a resigned smile, ‘Perhaps I shouldn’t be hanging round with the likes of you; people might think I’m complicit in whatever heinous crimes you’ve planned.’

‘Well if you get caught in the crossfire I promise to represent you.’

‘Who’s getting shot?’ A pig appeared beside Sara, holding a paper cup filled with a variety of appetisers.

She pulled a face as her attention was drawn to the cup, ‘Josh, we’re not even providing paper cups.’

‘I’m well aware, being the one who planned this shindig. You think I’m gonna put out a load of finger foods and not come prepared?’

She gave a small look of disapproval, ‘Of course not.’ She looked to Nick with a slightly forced smile, ‘This is Josh Stylan, my campaign manager. If I’m having a… heated discussion, he’s probably the one to blame.’

Josh gave a brisk nod in Nick’s general’s direction, looking at Sara with querying eyes. ‘You’ve explained to him his role in this event?’

‘Yes yes, he’s my very important arm candy who’s not allowed to make any comments on policies or campaign.’

‘Not my exact wording but I guess that’ll be fine...’ Josh mumbled into his cup before glancing down at his watch. ‘All right, speech time. You ready?’

Sara sighed heavily, ‘Can’t we just enjoy the evening without forcing a speech upon these poor wretches?’

‘We can. But then I’d have to give them their money back and you’d only be able to fund your campaign by taking out another mortgage on your condo,’ Josh said, snatching the wine flute from Nick’s paw. Holding his own cup in his mouth, he rapped his trotters against the glass, the ringing tone echoing around the room as other mammals copied him.

‘Well you paint quite the pretty picture.’ Sara said, rolling her eyes at the hog. She gave Nick her glass. ‘I want you to be ready with this when I finish, preferably without any backwash.’

* * *

Judy watched as Bogo pulled out a flashbang, handing it to her before moving to one side of the door, the rabbit taking her place by the other. The rest of the squad had arrived, already clearing rooms on the ground floor - if they wanted to catch this guy off guard they needed to move fast. She held up three fingers, watching as Bogo readied his hoof on the door handle, gun held in the other. She mouthed each number as she counted down. The door flew open as she pulled on the pin and threw. They stood for about half a second, backs pressed to the wall as they waited.

The bang was louder than Judy expected, despite the ear plugs and the various demonstrations she’d witnessed, her sensitive ears complaining at the abuse. Time seemed to slow as she brought up her gun, moving on autopilot as she followed Bogo into the room, the two expertly sweeping the room.

A panda bear sat in the middle of the room, only the back of the head visible. She continued scanning, ensuring the room was completely empty before moving around to face the panda. She froze, gun pointed at the bear. It was toy, that much was immediately clear, the beaded eyes were far too large, and the hands and feet lacked definition.

Bogo sighed, lifting the plushie to examine it in greater detail. It was dressed in a work suit and tie. The strand of masking tape held down a button, the words _“Squeeze me”_ barely legible beneath it as it forced the toy to spout various recordings of Sheuts. It surprisingly heavy, presumably to fit the customised audio. He pulled out his radio, describing the situation to the rest of the squad.

Judy frowned, mind racing as she tried to piece together the situation. She moved over to the desk, a single envelope lay on top, _“For Your Security.”_ typed plainly along the white paper. She picked it up, not bothering with gloves as she tore along the end with a nail. Tilting the parcel, a small plastic card fell into her paw, a security card. She placed a paw on her brow, struggling to piece this all together. Her head hurt, perhaps it was an after effect of the flashbang. She vaguely heard Bogo mention silencing the stuffed animal. This was all wrong. Why would they…? She spun round as realisation struck, ‘Chief wait!’

He glanced up, fingers pinching the end of the tape, now separated from the toy. His eyes widened as a beep came from its stomach. Beneath the bear’s suit, a red LED display pierced through the clothing, numbers counting down from 60. Bogo stared at Judy, a multitude of options flashing through his head, the rabbit returning his panicked look.

‘Go!’ He eventually roared, the door almost pulled off its hinges as he swung it open. Judy raced out, Bogo close behind, shouting into his radio. ‘There is an armed bomb in Sheuts’ office, evacuate all personnel! Repeat, there is a bomb, evacuate everyone!’

Despite his size, the buffalo was quick on his feet, just managing to keep up with Judy as she raced down the stairs. She skipped along the floor, using her momentum to propel herself forward as she bounced off the wall, her feet barely touching the steps as she glided over them. The door flew open as she barrelled into it, not having time to close before the buffalo did the same.

Her nails dug into the carpet as she skidded to a halt in front of the security room, two prominent dents where the door had been repeatedly butted. Judy’s paws flew to the scanner, the card still gripped firmly between her fingers. The plastic bent as she pressed it desperately against the black box, forcing it to read the security chip. The Chief barely waited for the device to bleep before yanking the door open.

A lynx lay sprawled across the floor, her feet resting by the base of her chair. The other was occupied by a wolverine, drool dripping out the corner of his mouth as his head lolled against the back of his seat. A single dart lay embedded in each of their necks, the bright green fletching easily visible against their pelts. Bogo hoisted the two mammals over his shoulders, huffing with the exertion as they made for the exit.

Judy held the door as the chief carried the two guards out into the hallway. They were so close now, the exit in sight as they made their way past the reception desk. Judy glanced back, Bogo panting hard as he lurched towards the open doors. Three steps… Two Steps… One step. He was out.

Various officers rushed forwards to offer assistance, taking the security guards as the chief released them. Bogo sighed, doing a headcount as he moved towards the group of officers. Everyone was out. He offered a relieved smile to Judy, who shook her head, her stern expression cracking as she returned the grin. He glanced at his watch with a slight frown; he’d forgotten how much a rush of adrenaline could seemingly slow time. He frowned at Judy, ‘Do you think it was a du-?’ Bogo was interrupted by a loud roar, coupled with a flash of hot white light. Debris flew into the air as a portion of the ceiling collapsed onto itself.

Clearly it wasn’t a dud.

* * *

‘…All right I think I’ve thanked everyone I possibly could, and I do apologise profusely if I’ve forgotten someone.’ Sara smiled, taking a moment as she looked out over the crowd. ‘This is the part where I shamelessly beg for your money. Unfortunately funding is critical for my campaign. I’m not some large business owner or a corporate mouthpiece. There are candidates with much greater resources and larger teams. But with your support, I’m certain that we can overcome these obstacles and win this election.

‘However, if you’re tired of donating money to me or maybe you’ve already given the maximum amount, if you have, thank you so much, perhaps I can persuade you to donate to a charity close to my heart. Seeking to End Chronic Neural Degeneration or SECND is a recently founded organisation and a relatively small one at that. It’s primarily a research charity but they also provide services and support for those affected by CND.’ She paused, and from where Nick was standing he could see her breath shake as she inhaled.

‘My father struggled with the disease and I know first hand how hard it can be when someone very close to you can’t remember what year it is or who you are. I was always hoping that there would be some miracle cure that would magically appear. But I’m afraid it didn’t, at least not in his lifetime.’ The last words took a sharp rise in pitch as Sara’s voice cracked and she swallowed, struggling to keep her composure.

‘Anyway, SECND, if you would like to speak to the founder, Mr. Anthony Lars, he should be here somewhere. If you could give a wave… There we are. That’s the moose to talk to. Thank you very much everyone for coming tonight and please enjoy the rest of the party.’ The music started back up and Sara left the stage, lifting the hem of her dress as she carefully navigated the stairs. She snarled at herself the moment she was out of sight, hitting her brow repeatedly with the palm of her hand. ‘I looked weak.’

‘Well I thought it was pretty good. I mean, don’t quote me on this, but I think people like their mayors to have emotions.’ Nick said, handing her flute back.

Sara gave a look of scorn, a retort dying on her lips as a small grey figure caught the corner of her eye, making its way towards them. ‘At least it will be worth it for this.’ She twisted, offering a sickly sweet smile. ‘Mr. Cacia, here to congratulate me on my speech?’

‘I would’ve liked it more if you’d done as I asked,’ he harrumphed. ‘What the bloody heck was that about? You were supposed to advocate _my_ charity, instead you go and show your support for a rival? I offered you funding and you spat it back in my face.’

Sara’s smile shifted, replaced with a look of cold disdain. ‘Well now Alan, what good are shares in your company? After all, the FCA are about to receive an anonymous report exposing Acacia Apartments’ highly illegal use of their founder’s charity as a tax-free holiday fund. Then a separate report of how “Cure for CND” has been sitting on more than two-hundred million dollars while their research labs are outdated, their staff are underpaid and not a single compound has gone past pre-clinical trials. All the while the CEO is taking in a six-figure salary.’

The koala sputtered, his face contorting through a variety of expressions, eventually settling on anger. ‘I should’ve know better than to trust a _fox_ ,’ he spat.

Sara ignored the barb, taking a long drink from her flute. ‘One thing I have to know, was this something you planned from the start, did you plan to be the corrupt little koala you are? Or did your good intentions sadly go awry when you tasted real money?’

‘You…’ The koala growled, his fists clenched. ‘I’m gonna…’

‘Now, now, Alan I wouldn’t go making threats. After all we have a renowned officer of the law with us. I suggest you run along and sell your stocks as fast as you can, though I don’t think the money is going to make much difference where you’re going.’ The koala sneered, unable to think up a cutting response as he retreated, shoving his way through the crowd towards the exit.

Nick turned to Sara the moment he was out of sight, jaw dropped in awe. ‘That was pretty cool.’

She closed her eyes, letting out a long sigh as she ran a paw through her fur. ‘Well I’m glad you thought so.’ She gave a soft smile and for a second her eyes betrayed her exhaustion. It vanished as her sly smirk returned, fingers wrapping around his wrist as she began to pull him towards the centre of the room. ‘Now I think it’s time you show off your dance moves.’

Nick’s eyes widened in panic, all other thoughts lost as he lurched forward, the vixen merciless as she moved his paw to her hip, taking the other in her own. ‘I can’t dance.’ He protested meekly, looking down in horror as the vixen began to sway.

‘Well neither can anyone else here, it’s a confidence thing. If you look like you know what you’re doing-’ An alarm cut her off, sprinklers following a second later, various cries of complaint accompanying it. She glared up at the ceiling, ‘Well hasn’t this been just the perfect fundraiser?’ She growled.

Nick was unable to stop himself from grinning, relieved that the dance had been cut short. ‘Well, I hope all fundraisers are as exciting as this.’ He watched the small crowd of mammals shuffling towards the door, a frown creasing his brow as he assessed the situation. Sara was about to join them when he grabbed her wrist. ‘Wait, hold up a sec.’ She arched an eyebrow questioningly as Coolson appeared beside them.

‘What’s going on?’ The bear asked, his voice the calm and collected tone it always was.

‘I don’t think she should go out the main entrance.’

Coolson considered the idea, motionless as he worked over what Nick was suggesting. He nodded, reaching for his radio. ‘All right, I’ll get someone to bring the car around.’

Nick shook his head, putting his paw over the transceiver. ‘No radios.’

He snorted, ‘Fine, I’ll pick you up at the delivery entrance. You’re to stay inside until you see the car. If anything happens to Miss Redford, I’m holding you accountable.’

Nick held two fingers in the air, placing his right paw over his heart. ‘Scout’s honour.’ Coolson nodded, giving one last concerned look before heading out of the building.

Sara turned to Nick with a small smile. Her dress was now soaked through, the fabric clinging to her pelt as she walked to the kitchen door. ‘Well I must say Mr. Wilde, if this was your incredibly smooth attempt to get me alone then colour me impressed.’ Despite her calm and collected tone, she looked worried, her dilated pupils telling Nick what her smile wouldn’t.

He chuckled behind her as they moved through the kitchen, various pots and pans left lying in the sink. ‘I think this is it,’ He gestured to a small white door, a rectangular window allowing them to peer out into the small parking bay. It was dark outside, only the hazy orange glow from a nearby street lamp to illuminate the outdoors.

‘Do you think they’re really out there?’ Sara asked, her eyes fixated on the entrance, waiting anxiously for the headlights of her car.

Nick shrugged, leaning back against the wall. ‘Honestly? I don’t know, I just wanna be on the safe side.’ He sighed as he looked down at his bowtie. ‘No one got to see me with the tie over my shoulders.’

Sara exhaled in amusement, shuffling closer. ‘Well we shall have to fix that.’ She gripped the end of the bowtie, slowly working apart the knot with her slender fingers. Despite her best efforts, she looked worried, her paws shaking as she flattened the black fabric against his chest. ‘There we are, now someone’s seen it.’

‘And?’

She winced as she looked it over, eventually offering an apologetic smile, ‘It looked better done up. I’m sorry.’

He grinned, eyes closed as he tilted his head back, the water from the sprinklers cold as it ran down his muzzle. He took her paw in his, giving a comforting squeeze. It was the only thing he could think of, and it seemed like the right thing to do. Despite the distant drone of the alarm, a sense of calm filled the room.

‘I did this for him,’ She said quietly, casting a quick glance in Nick’s direction. ‘My father,’ she explained, ‘It was almost a year ago. I’d just been offered a promotion at my firm.’ Her gaze drifted down to the tiled floor, droplets causing ripples through the film of water. ‘He was pretty much gone by then. There were times he didn’t recognise me, demanded I leave. But I still visited every week. Occasionally he’d have these moments of clarity and it was like there was nothing ever wrong with him.’

She rested her forehead against the door, the warmth of her breath misting the glass. ‘He was always so proud of me, of the things I’d accomplished. He was a genius, smartest mammal I knew, but was happy enough just teaching high schoolers. Whereas I, I was this big-shot lawyer, earning more than I could spend, living in apartments he’d only dreamed of. I told him about my promotion and... I could tell he wanted to congratulate me, to tell me how happy he was for me. But instead he gave this, this almost disappointed smile, “Corporations will always have good lawyers but foxes won’t always have good role models.”’ She gave a soft smile, ‘I handed in my notice that day, made a few calls, and this is the result.’

Nick stared at her in stunned silence. Sara returned his gaze, becoming distracted as a bright light entered her field of vision. They both turned, the vixen squinting as she struggled to look beyond the car’s headlight. The car pulled up outside the door and the rumble of the engine stopped as it was turned off. The interior lights switched on as the door opened. Coolson raising a paw in acknowledgement. She sighed in relief, her smile spreading to a grin as she pushed the door open.

The night air was cold, the breeze harsh as it punished them for their wet clothing. Nick pulled the car door open, jumping in close behind the vixen, shivering as he slammed the door shut.

The bear looked back at them, both hunched over, arms folded over their stomachs as they tried to get warm ‘There’s a yellow coat in the trunk if you’re that cold.’ They exchanged glances, neither party willing to force Coolson to retrieve it. He gave a small nod, ‘Where am I taking you?’

‘I’m think we should drop Mr. Wilde home. I’m sure he’s had enough politics for one day.’ Coolson wordlessly pulled away, Nick catching a glimpse of a smile in the rearview mirror.

His gaze moved out the window, watching as the streetlights went past, his head tilting as, looking up to the rooftops. The seats were warm and he relaxed into his chair, absentmindedly scratching at his side as the wet suit clung to his pelt.

‘Careful you don’t tear it.’ Sara said with a tired smile, eyes almost closed as she rested her head against the back of her seat. ‘I’m not sure you could afford the repairs.’

A relaxed silence took hold for the remainder of the journey, both mammals too exhausted to break it. Nick gave a short sigh, recognising his home street. He gave Sara a nod, ‘Well I gotta thank you for the... unique evening. When you invited me to a fundraiser, this isn’t quite what I expected.’

Sara waved her hand, feigning embarrassment, ‘Oh stop it you, I knew I had to make a memorable first date.’ She smirked, eyebrows raised. ‘Now if you’re the true gentlemammal you claim to be, I think a goodnight kiss is in order.’

Nick felt the heat rise to his cheeks as she tapped her cheek expectantly. He sighed, leaning forward to plant a small peck. The vixen twisted at the last second, Nick caught off guard as their lips met in a kiss. He held it for a second before breaking away, a slightly dazed expression across his muzzle. ‘Well, um…’ He rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly, ‘Goodnight! Sleep well.’

Sara placed a paw over her mouth to hide her smile, unable to suppress a snort of amusement at the awkward statement. ‘You too, Nick. Good luck with your case.’

He hopped out of the vehicle, giving a small wave as the car sped off into the darkness. He sighed when it was out of sight, placing a paw over his face as he cringed. ‘Sleep well? Ugh…’


	6. A Roof with a View

'All right, so… briefing….' Judy peered at the file atop the pedestal, trying to ignore the multitude of eyes watching her. She was standing on a chair, but even on tiptoes she was barely visible behind the podium. Her heart hammered in her chest. She'd been left in charge after Bogo had been called to City Hall to prepare a statement. This was her first briefing; despite the fact she'd worked with these mammals for years, standing before them was still nerve-wracking. She looked up, scanning the room.

'After last night's incident,' she began, 'Candidate Sheuts has suspended his campaign. There's already a dedicated team at the site gathering evidence, so we should hopefully have some more information by the end of today.'

She swallowed, but her throat remained dry. 'The vehicle that collided with Hornby's car was stolen from a construction site the night before. Wolford and Delgato discovered some indicators to suggest this was a successfully executed funnel. Unfortunately Doe left no DNA evidence at all - even the seat was squeaky clean.

'We've tested Candidate Redford's sleeping pills and we believe they were swapped with flunitrazepam sometime before the hotel was set alight.' Her gaze drifted to Nick, who offered a reassuring wink, an 'OK' symbol formed between his thumb and forefinger. 'Now, does anyone have any questions or information to share?'

Wolford's arm slowly rose from the crowd. 'What happened at Redford's fundraiser?'

'Our preliminary investigation only determined that the fire alarm was set off manually. We've searched the area, but there's no evidence to suggest there were any immediate threats.' Her eyes flicked back in Nick's direction. 'I think it's likely someone just got a little paranoid.' She held back a grin as the fox stuck out his tongue. 'Now, does everyone know what they need to be doing today?' A series of murmurs and nods rippled through the room, satisfying the rabbit. 'Alright then, let's get out there and…' She watched, helpless, as they rose to their feet, her voice drowned out by the squealing chairs as the officers filed out of the room. 'And… yeah.'

Only Nick remained, leaning back with a relaxed grin. 'And we are…?'

'We,' Judy hopped down from the chair, 'are going to see Candidate Sandos.' She slid an envelope across the table, Nick watching with mild disinterest as it slipped over the end and dropped to the floor.

She carried on, unperturbed. 'Forensics just got the results back. Guess whose office purchased the printer?'

'Kat Sandos? _Really_? I didn't think she had it in her…'

'Well, I highly doubt she's the mastermind. We're just going to ask some questions. Chances are it's someone who works for her.' She picked up the file, waving it as she gestured for Nick to follow. As they reached the doorway, she paused, her paw resting on the handle. 'You know, Nick, I have the utmost respect for you as an officer. I've never once felt the need to remind you that our cases are confidential and do not feel the urge to do so now.'

His eyes narrowed as he picked up on the subtle undertone. 'Your trust is greatly appreciated, Officer Hopps.'

'It's just, if this gets out, it could ruin her campaign.'

He snorted as he followed the bunny towards the car park. 'You say that like a liberal has any chance of winning.'

'Packer's fairly liberal,' she retorted, the car lights flashing as she pressed the keys, 'and he's only a couple of points behind Stalker.'

' _Fairly,_ and he doesn't go openly declaring it. He's like Sandos but with achievable goals. Whereas she's only just ahead of Long and that giraffe is _way_ behind in the polls.'

The doors slammed shut and Judy started the engine, unable to hide her astonishment. She gave a soft grin, putting the vehicle in reverse. 'Well it's nice to see you've finally done your homework.'

Nick snorted in derision, 'Excuse me?' he said, the offense clear in his tone. 'Are you suggesting I've done more than the bare minimum? You spend a couple of hours at a fundraiser you'll hear plenty about the other candidates.' He fished out his phone, transfixed by the screen as he navigated his way through the ZNN app, one of the headlines grabbing his attention. A soft murmur of surprise escaped his lips. 'Founder of "Cure for CND" under investigation by FCA.' he quoted, his mouth curling into a quiet smile. 'I'm impressed it broke so soon.'

'You knew it would happen?' Judy asked, her head tilted. 'You're taking down corrupt charities without me?'

He glanced at her, unsure how discrete he should be with his inside information, but soon realised he'd probably end up telling her anyway. 'You didn't hear this from me, but it's my understanding that a certain foxy candidate reported him.' He watched with silent mirth as Judy processed the sentence, her mouth opening and closing comically as she struggled to find the perfect phrasing. 'What?' he eventually prompted, the show eventually losing its charm.

'I'm just…' She sighed, unable to communicate her thoughts as politely as she would have liked, '…mildly shocked she didn't use the situation to her advantage. Putting a corrupt businessmammal behind bars would look really good, and, not to put too fine a point on it, she could do with a bump in the polls.'

'She might just be happy to do some good without turning it into a publicity stunt?'

'Maybe…' Judy knew Nick wasn't convinced by his answer, but she didn't want to force him on the defensive and changing the topic made more sense than pursuing the issue further. 'Trunkaby and Grizzoli are interviewing Candidate Squeeker today,' she said.

'Oh thank goodness,' Nick placed a paw on his chest, giving an exaggerated sigh of relief. 'I was dreading having to sit through an hour of 120-year-old Paul Squeeker lecturing us on the deficit. I don't care if that mouse has a Doebel prize in economics, he has the personality of my foot.'

Judy bit her bottom lip. She knew it was unprofessional but was unable to hold back a grin at his brutally accurate remarks. 'He's not _that_ old,' she protested, a snicker ruining the moral high ground she was resting on. 'Though I _may_ have asked Bogo to get someone else to interview him.' She could see Nick grin out the corner of her eye, his mouth opening to no doubt criticize her hypocrisy. She held up a finger to silence him. 'Only so we could investigate something else this afternoon,' she explained, her paw moving back to the steering wheel.

'Well that sounds super exciting,' Nick drawled.

'I'll have you know I argued very hard to get Bogo to sign off on this. Despite the complete lack of evidence last night's investigation found, we're going back to Redford's fundraiser, just to make sure.' Her expression didn't really change yet somehow she managed to ooze smugness, the bunny knowing exactly just how lucky Nick was to have a partner like her.

'You really think there's something there?'

'I trust your instincts,' she stated simply. 'Besides, if you're wrong, then I can hold this over your head for at least a month.'

Nick chuckled, his gaze drifting to the passenger window. He allowed himself a small smile, feeling a warmth spreading through his chest. It was always nice to be reminded that someone had his back.

* * *

Kat Sandos' office was well lit - a large glass wall filled the room with daylight. Though Nick often found himself distracted by the hustle and bustle of the street outside, he forced his attention back to the sand cat, watching intently as she scanned the document in front of her. He took a silent pleasure from the fact her fur was almost a perfect match to the beige carpet. She kept her composure, he noted, her pale blue eyes suggesting concern more than panic.

'So you think I composed this letter?' she finally asked, placing the paper back down on the table.

Judy shook her head, 'We think it could be someone on your staff, perhaps someone quite low down?'

'I'm sorry, but I can't help you narrow down your search. There's a huge amount of mammals involved with this campaign and a large portion of our employees are interns and volunteers, so people tend to come and go quite frequently.'

'That's fine, we just need to talk with your IT department, verify the printer and see if there are any records. Will that be okay?' Judy struggled to keep her cool as excitement blossomed in her chest. For the first time it didn't feel like they were clutching at straws; they had a solid lead, and if Sandos gave them access, they could have a name and address within the next few hours.

The feline sighed as she mulled over the suggestion. 'Well, I can't see why not,' she managed eventually. 'Though, do you mind showing yourself there? I'll need to discuss how I should proceed with this information.'

Nick's eyes flicked towards Judy before giving a nod. 'Sure thing, gotta cover your tracks right? Get those stories straight?' He winked as he climbed to his feet, quietly relieved when the sand cat returned his teasing grin. His smile faded as he looked to Judy, who forcefully maintained her composure as she held the door for him, her eyes burning with a silent intensity.

She gave an exasperated sigh the moment they were outside. As much as she wanted to be cross with him and his overly sharp tongue, he'd gotten away with his remark. 'You are _so_ lucky she took that well,' she hissed, giving a solid thump on his shoulder before moving to the stairwell.

'I'm a great judge of character, Carrots.' He delved through his pockets as they began wandering towards the IT room. He'd felt his phone vibrate during the meeting but hadn't had a chance to check it. 'There was no chance she wouldn't fall for my wiles,' he continued, a smile curling at the edges of his lips as he read the name of the sender. Sara.

_Your guys find anything last night?_

He looked up to check if Judy had seen his grin, but the bunny was examining a map detailing the layout of the building. _Nothing yet,_ he typed hurriedly. _We're checking it out later, but I might've just got a little paranoid._

Judy glanced back as she began to move again, her head tilted in a querying manner as Nick hid the phone behind his paw. It took less than five seconds for her to piece it together. She wiggled her eyebrows, her grin spreading as his phone buzzed. 'How's your girlfriend, Slick?'

'It might only take _you_ one date, however becoming the girlfriend of Nicholas Wilde has a much more thorough vetting process,' he snarked, his focus returning to the screen.

_Well as much as I appreciate your sanity, I kind of hope so._ He chuckled, shaking his head, the laughter dying as Judy cleared her throat.

She still held her superior smirk, leaning against the door of the IT room. 'You two finished?' Nick bit down a response, nodding begrudgingly. Satisfied, she went to knock, the door swinging open before she could. An opossum froze in the entrance, her bespectacled eyes wide as she drank in the sight of the two officers.

Judy gave a small wave, a cheery smile not far behind. 'Hi there, I'm Officer Hopps and this is Officer Wilde. We were wondering if you might have any footage or logs of a printer that belongs to this office.' She fished out her notepad before the opossum could respond. 'It's P1-XARN. Is there any way you could tell us who printed something off?' The opossum remained stock still for a few moments before eventually managing a nod, gesturing them inside.

It was surprisingly spacious for a room that was comprised of little more than three desks, two computers opposite each other and another in the far corner. A coffee machine sat directly in front of the entrance, adjacent to a sink almost overflowing with mugs. The opossum gestured towards it but they politely declined; the cups looked like they had been there for a questionably long time.

The door opened behind them, revealing a male opossum standing frozen in the entrance, his surprised expression a perfect mirror of hers. His head turned accusingly towards her. 'What did you do?'

She gave a smile coupled with a shake of her head, her paws going through a complex sequence of movements as she signed her response. Judy and Nick looked blankly at each other; their knowledge of sign language was, in Judy's case, minimal, and in Nick's, nonexistent. The jack offered his paw. 'Sorry, I'm Tim, this is Freya. She can hear fine, just not a talker.'

Nick watched as Judy explained again what they needed from the opossum. Tim had a slightly awkward air about him, as though he wasn't entirely comfortable with two ZPD officers in his workspace. He fidgeted as she talked, wringing his paws and glancing to Freya, who stood beside him. Still, despite his awkward manner, he remained perfectly amiable, eager to help with their case, if only to get them to leave.

'Everyone gets assigned a card,' he explained. 'Anytime someone uses a printer, we have their ID number and there's a permanent log in the registry.' Nick grinned at the welcome news. He sorely wished they were investigating the fundraiser now, and with this sort of system in place, it seemed like they wouldn't be hanging around here much longer.

The opossum took a seat, pulling open a program before spinning back to face them. 'You have a serial number? Date? Time?' His digits flew over the keyboard as Judy read them aloud, his deep brown eyes fixed on the screen. He scrolled down to the entry, pausing slightly as a preview of the letter appeared on the screen. Tim's eyes flicked over it, doing his best to seem uninterested while simultaneously taking in its entire contents. Eventually he read off the ID number and pulled open a separate database. 'So that belongs to…' He paused, audibly swallowing. 'Uhh…' He double checked the screen, finger trembling as it ran along the row. 'Uhh…' He stuttered again, giving a worried smile to the the group. 'This must be some kind of mistake.'

Freya stiffened slightly and moved around to her desk, her features crumpled in confusion before taking on a more determined look. Nick threw a confused glance to Judy before leaning over the opossum, reading off the highlighted name. _Kat Sandos._ He gave a sharp chuckle, 'Looks like she had it in her after all.' Judy pushed Nick out of the way, her nose inches from the screen as she confirmed the owner of the card.

Tim closed down the database. 'Let me get the security feed, we keep everything for a month, we should still have it…' he said, clicking hurriedly through a series of folders. He looked in Freya's direction but she seemed engrossed by her screen, the light from her monitor reflected in her glasses. He was worried, bordering on panic as he sought for the file. 'Here,' he announced, sliding his chair backwards to let the officers get a clear view. He hit 'enter.' An error flashed on the screen.

Judy took a deep breath, while Nick offered nothing more than a shrug. This was all too straightforward, too easy, but with no evidence to prove Sandos's innocence they couldn't just sit on their paws. She sighed, flattening an ear against her head as she ran a paw along its length. 'Okay then… I think we might need to have another chat with Miss Sandos and we're gonna need to bring in a team to comb through everything.'

Tim looked pleadingly at her, aghast at the situation that had transpired. 'Please, you can't. This will ruin the campaign…'

'Our paws are tied,' Nick said calmly, arms folded as he leant against the wall. 'We'll check alibis before we do anything and we'll do our best to be dis-'

Freya knocked loudly against the table, drawing their attention. Peering over the top of her monitor, she motioned them over, Judy and Nick exchanging querying looks before following her request. She waited until they had all gathered behind her before playing a recording of Candidate Sandos. It was a rally in the rainforest district, the sand cat leaning on a lectern as she gave her views on taxation to the crowd. Freya pointed to a timestamp in the top left corner; the video was taken just a few minutes before the letters were printed. A shy smile spread across the opossum's snout as Nick grinned down at her.

Judy seemed less persuaded, sighing deeply as reached in her pocket. 'We'll need a copy of that video and some other things.' She placed her card on the desk. 'Though if you could send it over now that'd be great,' she said pointedly, watching intently as Freya uploaded the clip to Zoogle drive, attaching a link in the email. She checked her phone, giving a brief smile as the notification flashed on her screen, yet her brow remained furrowed as though she was deep in thought.

Nick disregarded her concerned expression, giving a nod to the IT staff. 'Well, thanks very much for your time,' he said, reaching for the door handle. 'I think we've got all we need for now, Officer Hopps?' He gestured to the exit, holding his smile until the door had closed behind them. 'What's up with you?'

'Don't you think it's kind of weird Doe would put so much effort into framing Sandos, only for her to have a pretty solid alibi?'

'Maybe there was a change of schedule? Doe seems to work to a pretty thorough plan, if something changes perhaps they don't have a backup?' Nick offered, eager to move on.

'Maybe…'

* * *

A hippo and goat were left to clean up the remains of last night's fundraiser, the pair making lazy figures of eight with mops as they worked their way down the length of the hall. Nick watched them before casting his eyes around the room. It seemed much less grandiose than he remembered, the daylight and lack of decorations making the hall seem bare and plain. A fire alarm stood out against the stone wall. 'Is that the one?' he asked.

She shook her head, gesturing to another red switch by the entrance.

'Okay…' He stroked his chin, 'so it could've been anyone in the hall?'

'Anyone who managed to get past security. So, presumably a mammal on this list,' she said, brandishing a sheet of paper.

Nick snatched it from her paws, eyes flicking eagerly over the names. He'd greeted every one of them last night and yet he was struggling to pin down a likely culprit. There was Mr. Cacia, but despite the koala being a piece of work, he thought it unlikely the businessmammal would be taking such a vested interested in the election. 'Where's the staff?' he asked, looking up as Judy made a spinning motion with her finger.

He turned over the piece of paper, working down the staff list, tapping the bottom of his chin as he pretended to make deductions. Unfortunately there was no glaringly obvious 'Joe Hogs' or 'Jane Roe'.

'So Officer Wilde, your hypothesis?' Judy teased.

'Well it's _very_ clear that Doe had someone on the inside, almost definitely in the catering staff, who set off the alarm. Meanwhile they were waiting outside, ready to use the crowd and confusion to take out Redford.' He gave a bemused smile as he scrutinised his own theory. He knew he could trust in his powers of improvisation but there would almost definitely be flaws.

'And security didn't notice a suspicious mammal loitering in the street because...?' she prompted, watching the fox with a grin.

'…because… he _was_ security.' He paused. 'No wait, I lied. He wasn't actually in the street.' The delay between each sentence grew in duration, Nick sounding less and less sure of his theory. 'He was on one of the surrounding rooftops,' he glanced to Judy, 'with a rifle.'

'So he's a sniper? Then why bother with the fire alarm? I think, if anything, the crowd of animals would impede his ability to take out his target.' Judy's arms crossed as she regarded the fox. As ridiculous as his story was, it was interesting to see it evolve; Doe's plan becoming increasingly elaborate as Nick tried to fill in each and every plot hole.

He chewed the inside of his cheek, arms behind his back as he wandered back towards the entrance. The large arched doorway was open, the sunlight warming the oak floor beneath his paw pads. Ignoring Judy, he scrutinised the fire alarm, the white handle glaring back disapprovingly. It was a common design, a keyhole above the T-bar roughly level with his hip, which he imagined was to allow smaller mammals to reach. A thought struck him. 'The alarm wasn't meant to go off.' Nick stated, the confidence returning to his voice. 'He'd set up his sniper nest, ready for whenever Sara might leave but someone else triggered the alarm. Specifically, a disgruntled Mr. Cacia who upon discovering he was going to be investigated by the Financial Conduct Authority, decided to take revenge upon the mammal who had reported him by ruining their fundraiser.'

Judy considered the theory, as loathe as she was to admit, it did sound halfway reasonable. She stuck out her tongue as Nick grinned, the bunny struggling to find a flaw. 'Okay…' she mused, moving towards the doorway as she looked out onto the street. 'Where exactly did Doe set up this sniper nest?'

Nick scanned the surrounding buildings, he knew very little about vantage points and had only held a rifle a couple of times during training, 'You know we should really ask someone from TUSK…'

'Just choose a building.' Judy said, waving a hand dismissively.

'Fine,' He said, eventually pointing to a large apartment block; it seemed like a good spot. 'That one…'

'Already been cleared.'

'…is the best vantage point but as any competent assassin would know, you choose the _second_ best because it's less likely to be watched. Which is that one.' He gestured to a slightly shorter building adjacent.

Judy pulled a face, unsatisfied with the answer. 'You've been reading crime novels, haven't you?' She was certain his statement wasn't true but it seemed the sort of thing plausible enough to convince the general public. He tapped his nose knowingly and she scowled, following the fox as he took a leisurely stroll towards the building.

It was a bland-looking complex, the grey brick and standard cuboidal shape highlighting the architect's lack of imagination. A neat column of balconies lined the wall, quite a few with airers standing upon them, the brightly coloured shirts they bore contrasting the plain background. Nick scrutinised the wall's surface as they approached, the building seeming slightly more ramshackle up close. The mortar joints were deteriorated, cracks and missing sections spread throughout. As they entered, a bright yellow and black banner came into view, hanging defiantly in front of the elevator. Nick groaned.

'Don't think of it as exercise,' Judy grinned, her foot already on the first step of the stairwell. 'See it as an opportunity to get in shape for your girlfriend.' She gestured for Nick to follow, skipping along as he trudged up the stairs.

'I'm already in perfect shape,' he protested.

'Yeah, a perfectly round shape.'

Nick found himself speechless, caught off guard by the sharp comment - he hadn't expected the rabbit to say something clever. More importantly, he hadn't prepared a smarter response. He glanced up at her, feeling the pressure mounting as she looked on expectantly, his mind furiously sifting through a multitude of comebacks. 'Yeah well… you're one to talk,' he managed, cursing quietly the moment the words left his mouth.

Judy gave a snort of amusement, 'You're really losing your touch.'

'When a hotel falls on you, I'll personally make sure you're keeping up your training regimen.'

She laughed and pressed onwards, her feet barely making any noise against the solid concrete steps, a sharp contrast to Nick, who made it sound as though this staircase could well be his last. Looking back, she watched as the fox hauled himself along, the rattle of the metal railing almost drowning out the sound of each laboured breath. She grinned as Nick eventually drew level, 'We're gonna be walking back down this in two minutes,' she remarked, pushing open the door to the rooftop.

They were greeted by an otter who sighed unapologetically as the two officers stepped out from behind the door, his whiskers twitching with mild irritation. 'Of course, the cops. The rooftop of a cruddy apartment complex, clearly where it's all happening,' he grumbled, giving a bitter smile as he regarded the pair. 'Do you need something?'

Judy gave an apologetic nod to the otter, who appeared to be in maintenance. 'Sorry to bother you, we're just having a look around.' He muttered something, but seemed unwilling to press the issue further, turning back to look out over the street.

Nick disregarded him, his fatigue soon forgotten as he scanned the rooftop. Walking along the edge, he looked beyond the concrete barrier. It did seem like an ideal location. The vantage point of the street was perfect; if someone left through the main exit, there was no chance they could be missed. His focus moved to the barrier itself. He didn't know what he was looking for but clung to the distant hope that he would just instinctively know if something was significant.

He motioned Judy over, 'What about this?' he asked.

'A empty packet of Hay's?'

'He could get hungry, it's not unreasonable!'

Judy sighed and shook her head, turning back to the otter, 'Excuse me, hi again. Do people often come up here?'

The otter shrugged, wiping his paws on the blue dungarees he was sporting. 'Well I had to clear off a group of kids this morning… If they were only eating chips it'd be fine, but they're normally smok-' he trailed off, tapping the bottom of his chin as he pretended to be lost in thought. 'Smoo… smmm…' His eyes fell on their badges and he frowned. 'Don't you need a warrant to be up here?'

'I don't suppose you were here last night?' Nick asked, ignoring his question. 'Around eight-ish?'

He shook his head, 'Nah, some wolf was doing satellite maintenance or something. He was up here for hours. Bloody rude he was - told me to clear off, and much less polite than that.'

'Satellite dish maintenance? I don't suppose he was carrying anything?' Nick could barely stop himself from smiling. He'd always had a close relationship with Lady Luck but her smile seemed especially wide today.

'Oh sure, he had this ridiculously big toolbag, I guess you need some special stuff for those dishes.' He frowned, looking between the fox and rabbit. 'Who was this guy? Was this some sorta special satellite?'

Judy glanced at Nick, shaking her head in disbelief. 'I'm sorry, Mr…?' she prompted.

'Lutra, though Lewis is fine.'

'Lewis, I don't want to get in the way of your work, but when you get a minute would you mind coming to the police station to make a statement?'

'Well as long as I'm not in any danger…' He snorted, waving a hand dismissively as he moved to the stairwell. 'Eh, I'm happy to go now.' He turned, giving a sly wink, ''specially if it'll get me off work.'

The pair slowly turned to face each other as the otter's tail vanished behind the wall. Unable to contain herself, Judy leapt into the air, fists pumping as she binkied. Determined not to let Nick's smirk ruin her mood, she took the radio from his belt. 'As you were the one who suggested the building, I'll give you the honour…' She placed it in his paw. 'I mean, you wouldn't have even been here if it wasn't for me but whatever…' she muttered.

He chuckled, squeezing the button. 'This is Officer Wilde to dispatch, we've got someone coming in to make a statement. He's witnessed a mammal we believe to be Mr. Doe on a rooftop overlooking Malayas Hall.'

There was a long pause, Nick glancing down at his radio expectantly. 'Hey Nick, that's great! Can you sort all that out? We've got a bit of a situation here.' Clawhauser sounded flustered, his usually cheery tone tinged with anxiety.

Judy frowned, taking the radio from Nick. 'What's going on?'

There was another long pause. 'Well… Candidate Squeeker is currently comatose.'


End file.
